Tiny ray of sunshine for Dan Hurley, UConn as Liam McNeeley takes baby steps towards healing from injury

There’s a small glimmer of hope for Dan Hurley and UConn as 19-year-old star Liam McNeeley takes cautious steps toward recovery from his injury.

During UConn’s media availability on Monday, January 20, Hurley provided updates on the freshman's status.

"So, health report, Liam's status is unchanged. He did move around as part of the protocol of getting back on the court, just to see how some movement felt. So we’ll see how he feels tomorrow, see if he could do like the next thing that way," Hurley said.

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McNeeley was injured during the second half of the Huskies’ 81-68 victory at DePaul on January 1. The 6-foot-7 forward went down after colliding with DePaul guard Layden Blocker while chasing a deflected pass. Despite the injury, he finished the game with an all-around performance: nine points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block in 25 minutes.

It has been three weeks since the injury, initially hoped to be just an ankle sprain, but McNeeley has since missed five consecutive games for UConn.

Hurley initially hoped McNeeley would return by late January, ahead of a challenging February schedule that includes two matchups with No. 10 Marquette, two against No. 20 St. John’s, and a challenging road game at Creighton, who snapped UConn's 28-game home winning streak last Saturday.

“His absence has affected multiple players negatively,” Hurley said.

McNeeley has been a crucial part of the Huskies’ offense, averaging 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 14 appearances. At the time of his injury, the five-star recruit ranked eighth in the Big East in free-throw attempts (60) and 18th in three-pointers (25).

In McNeeley’s absence, head coach Dan Hurley will rely on other forwards to step up and fill the gap. Players like Jayden Ross and Jaylin Stewart are expected to take on more prominent roles while McNeeley recovers.

McNeeley Projected as a One-and-Done Star for the Huskies

Liam McNeeley stands out as one of the top small forward prospects in this year’s draft, excelling as a 3-and-D player with a smooth shooting stroke and defensive versatility. His ability to guard multiple positions and contribute offensively makes him a highly sought-after talent.

Mock drafts highlight McNeeley’s potential fit with the San Antonio Spurs, where his sharp shooting and downhill playmaking could complement their core of Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell.

Similarly, his knack for finding scoring opportunities in transition and exploiting mismatches as a pick-and-roll ball-handler makes him a strong candidate for teams like the Atlanta Hawks or the Chicago Bulls.

McNeeley’s shooting consistency and off-ball movement are particularly praised, often comparing him to a bigger Corey Kispert or Keegan Murray.

Despite being sidelined by a high ankle sprain, McNeeley’s combination of size, shooting, and defensive prowess cements his status as a one-and-done prospect ready to thrive at the professional level and make an immediate impact in the NBA.