Liam McNeeley, a consensus 5-star Indiana men’s basketball recruit, has been named to the 2024 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Boys High School All-America Third Team, according to a release from the Naismith Awards and IU Athletics on Wednesday.
McNeeley has played in 30 games for top-ranked Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida, this season, averaging 12.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He’s been efficient from the floor, shooting 51% on 255 attempts and 46% from 3-point range, connecting on 64-of-139 tries. He’s made 80% of his free throws.
Indiana head coach Mike Woodson said on his Dec. 11 radio show that McNeeley, who signed with the Hoosiers on Nov. 8, will bring several qualities to Bloomington in the fall of 2024.
“He's a winner,” Woodson said. “He does all the necessary things on and off the floor, which you like. But I just like the fact that he competes. He likes to compete, can shoot the ball, pass the ball, handles the basketball. There's a lot of good, quality things he does on the floor, and we're fortunate enough to get him.”
Out of 14 Big Ten teams, the Hoosiers currently rank No. 12 in 3-point shooting at 32.2% and last in free throw rate at 65.8%. Woodson said he believes McNeeley will bring Indiana the shooter it’s lacked this year.
With McNeeley’s inclusion on the All-American team, Indiana has had one representative in each of Woodson’s four recruiting classes, with Tamar Bates (2021), Jalen Hood-Schifino (2022) and Mackenzie Mgbako (2023) previously earning the honor. Kel’el Ware, who transferred from Oregon to Indiana in the summer of 2023, joined Hood-Schifino on the list in 2022.
McNeeley, the fourth-highest ranked recruit in IU basketball history according to 247sports, will play in three national tournaments to conclude his high school career.
He’ll take the court for the McDonald’s All-American Game on April 2 in Houston, make a local appearance April 4-6 in Brownsburg, Indiana, for the Chipotle Nationals and finish with the Jordan Brand Classic on April 21 in Brooklyn, New York.
Follow reporters Will Foley (@foles24) and Matt Press (@MattPress23) and columnist Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball season.
