Did not expect McNeeley to be this good this soon!

[willie99]

Seems very plausible this year's Indiana team would have been far from a title contender even with McNeeley.

Woody is still their coach. He has recruited great classes, and underperformed every year

I think Woody's lack of success is the reason why Liam reopened his recruiting

 

[WhereistheDove?]

One thing you have to know about McNeeley is that he is hungry to win a national championship and be a part of raising another banner. He doesn't have a one-and-done mentality or see UConn as merely a gateway to the NBA. That's not his make up. For that reason there's a chance he comes back for a sophomore season.

And so it begins…. Enjoy McNeeley now. He’s gone at the end of the season.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Castle could have got 20 points any night he wanted.

I will die on this hill.

Yes, but UConn would have lost several of those games if Castle wanted 20.

He was really good but was streaky at best from the outside as a frosh in college. He was used masterfully last year.

 

[jibsey]

One thing you have to know about McNeeley is that he is hungry to win a national championship and be a part of raising another banner. He doesn't have a one-and-done mentality or see UConn as merely a gateway to the NBA. That's not his make up. For that reason there's a chance he comes back for a sophomore season.

Please. But I don’t think so. Can anyone imagine what that would look like next year if he stayed?

 

[SwingDog]

Please. But I don’t think so. Can anyone imagine what that would look like next year if he stayed?

Time will tell. He wouldn't be the first potential or projected lottery pick who decided to stay another year.

 

[aceboon]

 

[Mr. French]

Liam got here born ready. It took Castle until February to see his potential realized.

I disagree Castle wasn’t ready from the jump, he just had a different role then had an injury. His offensive role wasn’t as big as Liam’s, and making big shots wasn’t a part of his resume.

I guess I’m just nitpicking, forgive me. But Castle is about as “born ready” as I’ve seen a frosh, I don’t care what his numbers were in November.

 

[HuskyFich]

Yes, but UConn would have lost several of those games if Castle wanted 20.

He was really good but was streaky at best from the outside as a frosh in college. He was used masterfully last year.

I mean sure, I agree with this on its premise.

But just to play devils advocate here, McNeeley’s numbers wouldn’t be the same if he was on last years team also…

Both guys are probably top 5 frosh UConn has ever had, so not trying to say anything here other than they are both dominant.

I just personally believe Stephon Castle willingly took a secondary role for the team and could have easily averaged 4-5 more ppg on almost any other team in the country.

 

[Rico444]

I disagree Castle wasn’t ready from the jump, he just had a different role then had an injury. His offensive role wasn’t as big as Liam’s, and making big shots wasn’t a part of his resume.

I guess I’m just nitpicking, forgive me. But Castle is about as “born ready” as I’ve seen a frosh, I don’t care what his numbers were in November.

You're 100% right. Castle was ready from the start. Great defender, good ball handler and could score right away He did improve as the year went on, but he improved from really good to phenomenal.

The reason Liam scores more is because of what's around him. Castle was surrounded by legit stars at every position.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I mean sure, I agree with this on its premise.

But just to play devils advocate here, McNeeley’s numbers wouldn’t be the same if he was on last years team also…

Both guys are probably top 5 frosh UConn has ever had, so not trying to say anything here other than they are both dominant.

I just personally believe Stephon Castle willingly took a secondary role for the team and could have easily averaged 4-5 more ppg on almost any other team in the country.

Yes, Castle absolutely took a lesser role offensively to be part of an exceptional team. The role any given player has is very dependent on the talent surrounding him. I thought I was clear in how I specified my comment but evidently I wasn't and now I wish I hadn't made that comment.

I stated scorer instead of offensive player as there are more things to offense than being the guy who put the ball in the basket (although that is a major part of it). KEA as a freshman facilitating the offense would be a great argument even with Liam being as skilled a shooter as he has shown so far.

I believe that if Ray was a freshman on many other UConn teams he would easily have exceeded what any freshman here did as a scorer. I also believe that if all freshman were the age Caron was his freshman year (he turned 21 before the season ended) there would have been a few who could claim an overall impact at a level similar to Caron.

Yes, Castle was an alltime great player here even with only one season's worth of contributions and his on ball defense as a true freshman was impressive beyond anything I could have ever expected any true freshman being capable of. He also scored very well, when needed at the basket and often inside the arc. I'm confident that more volume would have also improved his three point shooting.

One thing I don't want is for this to end up as a pi$$ing contest over who was better than who.

 

[auror]

For those who may be interested...

 

[FearThePups]

I disagree Castle wasn’t ready from the jump, he just had a different role then had an injury. His offensive role wasn’t as big as Liam’s, and making big shots wasn’t a part of his resume.

I guess I’m just nitpicking, forgive me. But Castle is about as “born ready” as I’ve seen a frosh, I don’t care what his numbers were in November.

I guess our definition of a 5* recruit is different. Castle did not have an immediate impact as Liam is showing. We can agree that they had different roles but Castle came onto the team with established players. Liam is doing a lot more with lesser talent around him as we don’t have the weapons and opponents are focusing more on him than they had to do with Castle.

 

[cp176]

Castle's defense is what set him apart from the day he stepped foot on the floor for UCONN.
I love Liam. My guess is that we have him for 2 years.

 

[Brochacho]

And so it begins…. Enjoy McNeeley now. He’s gone at the end of the season.

Reminds me of the crazy Castle/Clingan need another year takes here last offseason. Liam is dynamic, absolutely a first round pick in 2025 barring injury, and will absolutely go pro.

 

[jibsey]

Castle's defense is what set him apart from the day he stepped foot on the floor for UCONN.
I love Liam. My guess is that we have him for 2 years.

How can we have him for 2 years if he’s a top 15 draft pick and maybe top 10?

 

[SwingDog]

@Woodson Where is the humor??

 

[cp176]

How can we have him for 2 years if he’s a top 15 draft pick and maybe top 10?

You might be right. I just don't think that it is done deal at this time.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

You might be right. I just don't think that it is done deal at this time.

Treat this hope like when you buy a lotto ticket. It’s not going to happen, but you can enjoy the what if.

 

[HooperScooper]

Do you think the coaches showed this to McNeeley? Not even top 10?

Ranking best freshmen in college basketball: Oklahoma's Jeremiah Fears earns Freshman of the Week honors

A look at the top performing freshmen in college basketball last week and for the 2024-25 season

www.cbssports.com

 

[cp176]

Treat this hope like when you buy a lotto ticket. It’s not going to happen, but you can enjoy the what if.

hmm maybe but since I'm not much of an nba fan these days, it isn't hard for me to think that McNeeley might want and actually need one more year. I love the kid and his game but someone tried to make a Bird comparison here which I think is ridiculous. Also someone here said that they felt Liam was a better player and fit for us than Flagg - equally ridiculous. 2 great kids but Flagg can do things that most just dream about. It likely will come down to what the nba scouts want and have an actual need for. Once again, I love this kid's game and his approach to it, but it wouldn't surprise me if we had him for a couple of years.

 

[GlastonTim]

hmm maybe but since I'm not much of an nba fan these days, it isn't hard for me to think that McNeeley might want and actually need one more year. I love the kid and his game but someone tried to make a Bird comparison here which I think is ridiculous. Also someone here said that they felt Liam was a better player and fit for us than Flagg - equally ridiculous. 2 great kids but Flagg can do things that most just dream about. It likely will come down to what the nba scouts want and have an actual need for. Once again, I love this kid's game and his approach to it, but it wouldn't surprise me if we had him for a couple of years.

No

 

[Huskybass]

hmm maybe but since I'm not much of an nba fan these days, it isn't hard for me to think that McNeeley might want and actually need one more year. I love the kid and his game but someone tried to make a Bird comparison here which I think is ridiculous. Also someone here said that they felt Liam was a better player and fit for us than Flagg - equally ridiculous. 2 great kids but Flagg can do things that most just dream about. It likely will come down to what the nba scouts want and have an actual need for. Once again, I love this kid's game and his approach to it, but it wouldn't surprise me if we had him for a couple of years.

You are utterly delusional. McNeeley will be a lottery pick in the upcoming draft.

 

[cp176]

Hope that you are right.

 

[Scottzer]

hmm maybe but since I'm not much of an nba fan these days, it isn't hard for me to think that McNeeley might want and actually need one more year. I love the kid and his game but someone tried to make a Bird comparison here which I think is ridiculous. Also someone here said that they felt Liam was a better player and fit for us than Flagg - equally ridiculous. 2 great kids but Flagg can do things that most just dream about. It likely will come down to what the nba scouts want and have an actual need for. Once again, I love this kid's game and his approach to it, but it wouldn't surprise me if we had him for a couple of years.

Flagg is the better overall player - with absolutely fantastic D. But, I said Liam was a better offensive player - and I stand by that. The Flagg is a bit turnover prone, and not particularly efficient on O. His game will benefit from NBA spacing, but, right now, Liam is better offensively.

 

[jibsey]

I expected him to be this good. Look at his ranking, and because we lost so much he had the pt to prove it.