Coming off of a second straight national championship season, the UConn basketball program is looking to add some shooting for next season and is set to host five star recruit and former Indiana commit Liam McNeeley on Monday and Tuesday, according to David Borges of CT Insider.
UConn basketball is competing with Kansas, Indiana and Michigan, who are also in hot pursuit of Liam McNeeley, who is viewed as an immediate impact perimeter shooter. McNeeley is the No. 15 recruit in the 2024 class, according to 247, and plays at Montverde Academy.
McNeeley is the teammate of No. 1 overall recruit Cooper Flagg, who committed to Duke over UConn in the fall.
Dan Hurley's Huskies have already added a transfer in Michigan's Tarris Reed Jr., who should form a solid center rotation with Samson Johnson. Now, the focus shifts to shooting, with McNeeley seemingly set to be the first target with an official visit set for Storrs on April 22 and 23. If Dan Hurley and UConn basketball miss on McNeeley, they could pivot to an international player, according to Borges.
UConn basketball's need for shooting is present due to Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer being out of eligibility and Alex Karaban still making a decision on whether or not to come back for next season. McNeeley would be a welcomed commitment, and would bolster the Huskies' chances at going for a third national championship in a row.
Who could UConn basketball target for shooting?
Obviously, Hurley and the UConn basketball program are targeting McNeeley as a shooter for next season, but with programs like Kansas, Indiana and Michigan in play, it is very possible that they miss out. Kansas beat out UConn for Towson transfer Nick Timberlake a year ago. It is interesting to see Indiana remain in the running as well.
As Borges reported, the Huskies could turn to an international player to fill their shooting needs, and it remains to be seen who that could be. However, there are some other players in the transfer portal who could make a lot of sense for UConn.
One is Villanova transfer Brendan Hausen. He would bring some shooting at some level, whether that be as a starter or off of the bench. Brendan Hausen shot 38.1% from three last season. Hurley could undoubtedly use that in his rotation.
Arguably a better fit for UConn is Dayton transfer Koby Brea. He will be a hot commodity in the transfer portal, and when looking at his numbers from last season, it is understandable why that will be the case. Koby Brea shot 49.8% from three last season, which is a number that will draw attention from any top program. There will likely be stiff competition in Brea's recruitment, but UConn could very well show interest.
For now, McNeeley is the center of attention when it comes to potential additions for UConn next season.
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