Per ESPN McNeeley is going pro

[UCan3]

Plus a stronger shot at competing for a national championship. The incoming class of three MAAs and a highly touted gold medal winning Australian is very young (duh, they are freshmen), but McNeeley knows the ropes and would be a tremendous captain along side Solo Ball and Tarris Reed. As it stands, UConn has no sophomores on the roster.

Three will probably be walk-on level, but Hurley has to fill a minimum of six spots through the portal or with a late commit.

I’m glad I’m not the only one thinking this way. Five years ago before big NIL money, I would’ve said see you later Liam and best of luck!

But in today’s environment, I don’t think he looks ready. That’s just me - sure they’ll develop them in the NBA, but why not have one more year to compete for national championship and get all that much better for the NBA? You look at someone like Zac Edie from Purdue is a good example. He’s doing great in the NBA now and those extra years probably helped him out greatly. Had he entered as a FROSH, he could be lost in Europe playing basketball somewhere.

I think Liam’s got the game where it was very little risk in terms of him staying for another year. He would’ve still gone in the first round.

But again, hopefully I’m wrong and he just kills it from the git go but personally, I don’t think this was the best decision for him, but I’m not a basketball expert either in that sense.

 

[Slim Marlo]

I’m glad I’m not the only one thinking this way. Five years ago before big NIL money, I would’ve said see you later Liam and best of luck!

But in today’s environment, I don’t think he looks ready. That’s just me - sure they’ll develop them in the NBA, but why not have one more year to compete for national championship and get all that much better for the NBA? You look at someone like Zac Edie from Purdue is a good example. He’s doing great in the NBA now and those extra years probably helped him out greatly. Had he entered as a FROSH, he could be lost in Europe playing basketball somewhere.

I think Liam’s got the game where it was very little risk in terms of him staying for another year. He would’ve still gone in the first round.

But again, hopefully I’m wrong and he just kills it from the git go but personally, I don’t think this was the best decision for him, but I’m not a basketball expert either in that sense.

This is the biggest misconception. You get better in the NBA with better coaching and your singular focus is basketball

 

[B1GEast]

https://athlonsports.com/college-basketball/liam-mcneeley-predicted-join-165-million-nba-star-after-leaving-dan-hurley

 

[HU5KIES]

https://athlonsports.com/college-basketball/liam-mcneeley-predicted-join-165-million-nba-star-after-leaving-dan-hurley

How is a whole 'article' with a cryptic title created to say that ESPN's latest mock has McNeeley to Dallas, joining Anthony Davis?

 

[Husker Husky]

*G-League. Thanks for letting the board know how valid your opinion is by telling us he needs to develop in a league that doesn’t exist!

My opinion is valid. As is yours. But, what you fail to know (and why should you), is that I couldn't give a rat's about anything to do with the NBA. But, thanks to you, and your snarky response, I looked it up. It's the "G" league. Why "G"? Because Gatorade ( get it...G), dumped $$$ into it as long as they renamed it to honor their sponsorship. I feel so much smarter now. But, I still don't give a rat's about the NBA or the G league. I just know (actually guess) that the pressure from the fan base and the media is going to be non-existant vs playing for UConn for the next few years.

 

[Husky25]

My opinion is valid. As is yours. But, what you fail to know (and why should you), is that I couldn't give a rat's about anything to do with the NBA. But, thanks to you, and your snarky response, I looked it up. It's the "G" league. Why "G"? Because Gatorade ( get it...G), dumped $$$ into it as long as they renamed it to honor their sponsorship. I feel so much smarter now. But, I still don't give a rat's about the NBA or the G league. I just know (actually guess) that the pressure from the fan base and the media is going to be non-existant vs playing for UConn for the next few years.

There is a type of everyman, evidently, that gets offended for the $$multi-billion corporation, while their C-Suiters swim in their fortunes, Scrooge McDuck-style.

 

[Hunt for 7]

I’m glad I’m not the only one thinking this way. Five years ago before big NIL money, I would’ve said see you later Liam and best of luck!

But in today’s environment, I don’t think he looks ready. That’s just me - sure they’ll develop them in the NBA, but why not have one more year to compete for national championship and get all that much better for the NBA? You look at someone like Zac Edie from Purdue is a good example. He’s doing great in the NBA now and those extra years probably helped him out greatly. Had he entered as a FROSH, he could be lost in Europe playing basketball somewhere.

I think Liam’s got the game where it was very little risk in terms of him staying for another year. He would’ve still gone in the first round.

But again, hopefully I’m wrong and he just kills it from the git go but personally, I don’t think this was the best decision for him, but I’m not a basketball expert either in that sense.

NIL will change this decision on several levels. I just think a player who still has significant room to develop will get better playing in real games with real fans in college than buried at the end of the bench and getting 4-5 minutes a game. Or playing in G League games in empty arenas with no real passionate fan base. No way the GLeague can replicate the pressure on a player like a conference championship game, an elite 8 with game or final 4 game, not to mention the highly contested games against a conference rival in their gym.

My guess it that we are headed in that direction anyway. The experts know that at you cannot truly replicate pressure in empty gyms or practice it is just different. Yes some athletes are born with the clutch gene but you get better under pressure when you have gone through it before. But the experts walk a fine line. They have to be selfish because their commitment is to the team not the player.

Someone should put a list of players that went straight from high school to the pros. I bet it is like 50/50 on whether it worked out well. Of course it may have played out that way even if they went to college but when you get to the highest level doing anything you are surrounded by players that all have great talent. Usually what separates the bad from the good and good from the great is what is going on between their ears.

I am not in their shoes so it is easier for me to have an opinion. But we do know, what some players can make in college is significantly more than they will make on a two way contract. But if the school and a booster poney up $10M a year for a player to come or stay in school, this gets pretty complicated. Like is the $10M he will get from NIL monies guaranteed even if he get hurt?

If the NCAA or whoever is going to oversee college sports does not add structure to this NIL situation some of the best universities will be offering college kids as much money to stay for another year than they will make if they go pro.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

If you are a player the NBA is willing to invest in, the NBA has a FAR better development apparatus than even the best college programs. Full stop.

Plenty of teams are carrying 10+ coaches, including specialists, bigger and better S&C staffs, play against much better competition in practice every day, way more time devoted to development than a college player, etc.

Every year we and every other fan base with a lottery pick have the same exact conversation. The question guys like Liam are asking is not whether they’re ready to contribute right away in the NBA, but whether a team sees them as worth investing in.

 

[Lafayette]

NIL will change this decision on several levels. I just think a player who still has significant room to develop will get better playing in real games with real fans in college than buried at the end of the bench and getting 4-5 minutes a game. Or playing in G League games in empty arenas with no real passionate fan base. No way the GLeague can replicate the pressure on a player like a conference championship game, an elite 8 with game or final 4 game, not to mention the highly contested games against a conference rival in their gym.

My guess it that we are headed in that direction anyway. The experts know that at you cannot truly replicate pressure in empty gyms or practice it is just different. Yes some athletes are born with the clutch gene but you get better under pressure when you have gone through it before. But the experts walk a fine line. They have to be selfish because their commitment is to the team not the player.

Someone should put a list of players that went straight from high school to the pros. I bet it is like 50/50 on whether it worked out well. Of course it may have played out that way even if they went to college but when you get to the highest level doing anything you are surrounded by players that all have great talent. Usually what separates the bad from the good and good from the great is what is going on between their ears.

I am not in their shoes so it is easier for me to have an opinion. But we do know, what some players can make in college is significantly more than they will make on a two way contract. But if the school and a booster poney up $10M a year for a player to come or stay in school, this gets pretty complicated. Like is the $10M he will get from NIL monies guaranteed even if he get hurt?

If the NCAA or whoever is going to oversee college sports does not add structure to this NIL situation some of the best universities will be offering college kids as much money to stay for another year than they will make if they go pro.

It's not like NIL ends when players go to the NBA - we just call it sponsorship there.