Summary: McNeeley is a sharpshooting wing with superb instincts moving with the ball, and the touch to splash from deep ranges. Though he doesn't project as a primary shot creator, his feel as a connective passer gives him the skill to fit into any type of offense.
Comparisons: Keegan Murray, Corey Kispert
Strengths
Spot-up shooting: McNeeley was an elite shooter off the catch at the high school level, though he didn't shoot quite at the same level in college. When he's at his best, he can drain 3s moving away from the rim after running through a screen, and he has a great feel for relocating into open space. He made 36.7% of his catch-and-shoot 3s at UConn.
Off-ball movement: McNeeley is the type of player who might average 15 points per game, but you need to give him attention like he averages 35 because of the way he stresses the defense with his constant motion. He relocates, he cuts, he sniffs out open space and makes his way there using deception or screens.
Scoring upside: McNeeley didn't have the best year scoring at the rim for UConn, making under half of his layups. But his 38-point game against Creighton displayed his potential for finishing using either hand and backing down defenders, in addition to raining fire from 3-point land.
Connective playmaking: While he's not a primary creator, he has a functional handle and shows the ability to run an occasional pick-and-roll. Whether using a ball screen or simply attacking a closeout, he keeps his head up and makes proper passing reads. Within the flow of the offense, he makes instant reads swinging the ball or making a touch pass to a cutter inside.
Concerns
Shooting off the dribble: McNeeley hasn't yet shown the ability to hit midrange jumpers or 3-pointers off the bounce. Even though he has a decent handle, the results just haven't followed. As a senior at Montverde, he made only 20% of his dribble jumpers, according to Synergy. With UConn, he made only 15.2%.
Shot creation: One of the reasons he doesn't shoot well off the dribble is his handle isn't quite tight enough to deal with pressure. He tends to pick up his dribble or make panic passes, rather than stringing together advanced dribble moves.
Athleticism: He's a below-the-rim finisher who lacks a quick first step on offense. It's also worrisome that his shot didn't translate against elite college defenses. And on defense, his lateral quickness is average at best at this stage of his development.
