2024 Recruiting: Liam McNeeley

[Leebo]

BTW, are we sure McNeeley would be a cultural fit?

I'm not sure how any of us could be "sure" of that.

That's Danny's judgment.

 

[runner11]

How do we get an old team if we have a few a year? That is Kentucky you realize. Add in a few portal guys and you are rebuilding pretty often.

BTW, are we sure McNeeley would be a cultural fit?

How many players do you think play on a team? After reading through this thread I’m gonna pass on this discussion.

 

[cohenzone]

How many players do you think play on a team? After reading through this thread I’m gonna pass on this discussion.

Ok, he has our best new young players leaving after a year or two every year. Who exactly are the older players that will be good enough to make any team really good if all the better players leave early? You better hope you have 3 or 4 older guys out of the remaining 10 or so guys who are better than average. These days the portal gives hope, but not every team is going to get as many really good vets as we did. Few in their right mind would have predicted Newton, Spencer and Diarra would have the individual and collective huge impact they have had. Maybe the coaching staff. If those guys had turned out just average, i doubt totally that SC and DC, as good as they are, could make us anything like we are. See Kentucky.

 

[slepers]

Ok, he has our best new young players leaving after a year or two every year. Who exactly are the older players that will be good enough to make any team really good if all the better players leave early? You better hope you have 3 or 4 older guys out of the remaining 10 or so guys who are better than average. These days the portal gives hope, but not every team is going to get as many really good vets as we did. Few in their right mind would have predicted Newton, Spencer and Diarra would have the individual and collective huge impact they have had. Maybe the coaching staff. If those guys had turned out just average, i doubt totally that SC and DC, as good as they are, could make us anything like we are. See Kentucky.

Let it go

 

[AntG168]

BTW, are we sure McNeeley would be a cultural fit?

This is such an overblown question. What do you even mean by that? A 5 star can’t be a cultural fit? Obviously the staff thinks he is

 

[cohenzone]

This is such an overblown question. What do you even mean by that? A 5 star can’t be a cultural fit? Obviously the staff thinks he is

I am yanking some chains. Lighten up.

 

[AntG168]

I am yanking some chains. Lighten up.

It went over my head

 

[cohenzone]

It went over my head

Sorry.

 

[Stinger92860]

I am yanking some chains. Lighten up.

Is he a RKG? Can he win at breakfast?

 

[UCTitleTown]

I'm not sure how any of us could be "sure" of that.

That's Danny's judgment.

Ask his teammate Cooper Flagg for his opinion.

 

[nomar]

Question. Do you agree that getting Castle will lead to other one and dones coming here? That’s what a few posters suggested before he played a game here. We have had 2 (assuming Castle leaves) the other when Castle was a little kid. And Castle committed after we flamed out in Round 1 two years running. i have no clue how you are distinguishing what UConn is looking for in a 1 and done as opposed to what UK is looking for because we have only one recent example of getting such a player. How many of their one year guys did we offer? I have no clue if there were any, I don’t pay close attention. I only know the BY has a tendency to find faults with players who don’t take our offers.

The staff looks for guys who fit. As opposed to Cal who looks for the highest rated guys out there regardless of who else is already planning to return. Do I think Castle committing and succeeding will influence other 5*s? Nope. But our success will. I suspect Flagg would have been ours had he not been a lifelong diehard Duke fan. No idea why Patrick Ngongba committed there. But I suspect we will sign more 5* guys going forward. What’s important is that they are guys looking to buy into the team. The last 25 years have proven that a mix of 5*, 4* and 3* guys is better than getting all 5* guys because there is continuity and veteran leadership.

TL;DR I don’t really care, frankly, because we can get whoever we want in the portal and if a guy doesn’t want to buy in then we don’t need him.

 

[nomar]

I'm not sure how any of us could be "sure" of that.

That's Danny's judgment.

If anybody is doubting this staff’s judgment then they have no judgment.

 

[TheHorde]

The staff looks for guys who fit. As opposed to Cal who looks for the highest rated guys out there regardless of who else is already planning to return. Do I think Castle committing and succeeding will influence other 5*s? Nope. But our success will. I suspect Flagg would have been ours had he not been a lifelong diehard Duke fan. No idea why Patrick Ngongba committed there. But I suspect we will sign more 5* guys going forward. What’s important is that they are guys looking to buy into the team. The last 25 years have proven that a mix of 5*, 4* and 3* guys is better than getting all 5* guys because there is continuity and veteran leadership.

TL;DR I don’t really care, frankly, because we can get whoever we want in the portal and if a guy doesn’t want to buy in then we don’t need him.

Especially if UConn has two lottery picks. And Hurley develops players. If DC were to go in the top 10 after being only a top 50ish recruit, then that’s clear evidence of it.

 

[tuvent08]

One of the many upsides to being where we are at right now (i.e., unambiguously the best program in the country) is that if a player doesn’t want to be part of this then it is probably for the best.

 

[UconnU]

How do we get an old team if we have a few a year? That is Kentucky you realize. Add in a few portal guys and you are rebuilding pretty often.

BTW, are we sure McNeeley would be a cultural fit?

I’m sure. McNeeley’s mother has publicly stated she wants a coach who will be hard on Liam and hold him accountable. Similar story as Steph’s parents. And by all accounts he’s the hardest working kid on MV, Flagg included.

 

[cohenzone]

The staff looks for guys who fit. As opposed to Cal who looks for the highest rated guys out there regardless of who else is already planning to return. Do I think Castle committing and succeeding will influence other 5*s? Nope. But our success will. I suspect Flagg would have been ours had he not been a lifelong diehard Duke fan. No idea why Patrick Ngongba committed there. But I suspect we will sign more 5* guys going forward. What’s important is that they are guys looking to buy into the team. The last 25 years have proven that a mix of 5*, 4* and 3* guys is better than getting all 5* guys because there is continuity and veteran leadership.

TL;DR I don’t really care, frankly, because we can get whoever we want in the portal and if a guy doesn’t want to buy in then we don’t need him.

I agree with that. Success attracts, not that a guy can be drafted early out of UConn as the reason they sign up here. As far as getting who we want in the portal, i think we wanted Timberlake. If only it was that simple as getting who we want. Obviously not getting him turned out great.

When you come down to it, why did Castle choose us after the problems with KO and after the second time in 2 years we went out in Round 1 of the NCAAs and half the BY was on Hurley’s case.? We didn’t yet fit the mold of either being a big winner under Hurley or of recently getting 5 star guys. We did have a recent history of guys going into the draft early. Obviously we had great recruiting of him.

 

[cohenzone]

Is he a RKG? Can he win at breakfast?

Yes.

 

[nomar]

I agree with that. Success attracts, not that a guy can be drafted early out of UConn as the reason they sign up here. As far as getting who we want in the portal, i think we wanted Timberlake. If only it was that simple as getting who we want. Obviously not getting him turned out great.

When you come down to it, why did Castle choose us after the problems with KO and after the second time in 2 years we went out in Round 1 of the NCAAs and half the BY was on Hurley’s case.? We didn’t yet fit the mold of either being a big winner under Hurley or of recently getting 5 star guys. We did have a recent history of guys going into the draft early. Obviously we had great recruiting of him.

Dunno - seemed he and his family just liked the cut of Danny’s jib. We needed him more than he needed us but it’s been a beautiful partnership to say the least.

 

[cohenzone]

I’m sure. McNeeley’s mother has publicly stated she wants a coach who will be hard on Liam and hold him accountable. Similar story as Steph’s parents. And by all accounts he’s the hardest working kid on MV, Flagg included.

As i said, i was kidding.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Castle bought into team ball, being coached hard, and improving his overall game. He’s a winner.

A top 10 1-and-done recruit who doesn't demand touches and whose calling card is defense. Incredible fit, and even more so when you consider we're relying on that kind of guy to fill in a gap that might otherwise have been a weakness on this team.

 

[NH Husky]

I would be happy with one recruit who fits our values and is highly ranked to choose UConn instead of Duke, Kansas, UNC or Kentucky. Need some help with my memory. Have we ever swooped in and taken a top tier recruit from one of those schools. I heard Daniels mentioned but let’s be honest he was kind of a bust until his junior season. Yes he was serviceable but was rail thin and was not the best rebounder for a guy 6’8” or 6’9”. Newton is a way better rebounder than Daniels and the only thing Daniels did better than Castle was shoot. But by the time Castle reaches Daniels age he will be superior in every facet of the game.

But I just am not going to get caught up in recruiting this off season. Last off season was a negative drain on enjoying an off season of being the champs.

Hurley will figure it out. I am just hoping we keep Kimani and Luke but that is going to end fairly soon. Honestly right now if Hurley just decided to retire I would not want anyone else as our coach other than Kimani or maybe Luke. Moore is too important in his new role of GM and I think that is a position he will thrive in.

Ray Allen

 

[UconnU]

Would be bitter sweet to barely miss on Flagg rental only to land his 5 star teammate for potentially multiple years. The system fit here is uncanny, he does well what we do, shoots, cuts, and screens.

 

[UCTitleTown]

Would be bitter sweet to barely miss on Flagg rental only to land his 5 star teammate for potentially multiple years. The system fit here is uncanny, he does well what we do, shoots, cuts, and screens.

And the bragging rights McNeely would get: Priceless

 

[UconnU]

And the bragging rights McNeely would get: Priceless

Bwahaha. Also, the Irishman is more on brand.

 

[TeasenDonut]

Want this kid way more than any transfer