It was an emotional Wednesday night for Liam McNeeley and his family, who shed tears of joy after the former UConn freshman was selected 29th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.
The 6-foot-7 forward will suit up for the Hornets, who received the No. 29 pick and a 2029 first-round pick from the Suns as part of the Mark Williams trade.
Moments after the selection at Barclays Center, McNeeley was joined by his mom, Ashley, for an interview with ESPN.
“He wants to do the right thing for his team, and they will be thrilled to have him,” Ashley said.
Both Ashley and Liam were overcome with emotion when he discussed his former Montverde Academy teammates being drafted.
“Those are my brothers,” McNeeley said, fighting back tears. “So proud of them, it’s a dream come true.”
The Montverde alums include Cooper Flagg, who went first overall to the Mavericks; Asa Newell, the Hawks’ pick at No. 23; and Derik Queen, the New Orleans Pelicans’ selection at No. 13.
McNeeley averaged 14.5 points, 2.3 assists and six rebounds in his lone season with the Huskies.
Although much of the NBA community got acquainted with McNeeley’s loved ones Wednesday, Ashley captivated college basketball fans in March during UConn’s NCAA tournament run.
She was featured on the broadcast of UConn’s second-round loss to Florida, with one X user quipping at the time, “Liam McNeely’s mom is getting a lot of airtime and frankly she should.”
UConn’s quest for a national championship three-peat fell short in the 77-75 defeat, with Florida moving on to win it all.