Film breakdown: What IU basketball commit Liam McNeeley does well, what he can improve on

Indiana has landed 2024 five-star recruit Liam McNeeley. The 6-7 forward out of Montverde Academy is following the footsteps of Jalen Hood-Schifino and Malik Reneau, who also committed to play for Mike Woodson after attending the Florida prep school.

After taking an official visit to Bloomington in early September, McNeeley announced his commitment to the Hoosiers on Sunday. Let’s peek at the film to see what McNeeley will bring to IU.

Insider: Why Liam McNeeley's blue-chip commitment for Mike Woodson is different, what that means.

Liam McNeeley's strengths

SHOOTING

McNeeley can flat-out stroke it from downtown. His shooting ability is what makes him such an intriguing prospect. There typically aren’t a lot of college freshmen — especially at McNeeley’s size — that can shoot as well on the volume McNeeley does.

Notice that McNeeley does not only make catch-and-shoot attempts. Montverde frequently used him on curls and pin-downs, and he was wildly comfortable in those situations. He made 44.8% of his 3-pointers on 4.6 attempts per game during his junior year.

Indiana hasn’t had a movement shooter like McNeeley in the Woodson era. Having a dangerous spot-up threat is one thing, but it becomes dangerous when defenses have to account for a guy who moves well off screens and can fire at any moment. McNeeley does not hesitate to let the ball go. Whether running half-court offense or being in transition, McNeeley will fire away if he has a crease to shoot.

McNeeley’s ability to shoot off the move often opened up easy looks for his Montverde teammates. While he’s not someone you’d ask to initiate the offense, McNeeley adequately made simple reads when defenses gravitated to him.

Sometimes the spacing and attention a player creates is more vital than their actual scoring output. That is the case with McNeeley. Teams will be reluctant to help off of McNeeley, freeing up his Hoosier teammates for better looks. Having a shooter like McNeeley makes offense easier for everyone.

AGRESSIVENESS

McNeeley does not stop attacking. He is a confident driver despite some of his interior limitations. Even if it doesn’t always go well, his ability to attack closeouts and keep defenses somewhat honest when guarding him off the dribble is important.

This ability was apparent in McNeeley’s AAU play. He was the main entree in the Florida Rebels’ summer, where he was a (very good) side dish on the Montverde squad. McNeeley showed his aggressiveness well in an overtime EYBL battle against Team Thad.

There is no fear displayed on McNeeley’s drives. He took over late in that EYBL game by just dribbling down the throat of the defense.

If McNeeley can become a legitimate three-level threat at Indiana, he could have All-Big Ten first-team potential. The driving and finishing aspects of his game aren’t perfect, but there’s a willingness to get downhill in half-court settings that prospects of McNeeley’s nature don’t typically have.

What Liam McNeeley can improve on

MAN DEFENSE

McNeeley has his struggles keeping up with quicker players. He has lackluster foot and hip speed. This hurts when there isn’t much help in his vicinity. McNeeley gets blown by quite a bit when guarding in space.

This is an area McNeeley should be looking to improve before coming to Bloomington. His lack of lateral quickness and agility can cause breakdowns in a team’s defense.

Watch how Team Thad targeted McNeeley twice in the same possession in the fourth quarter of the EYBL matchup.

The Florida Rebels had to bring an extra defender to assist McNeeley on an island against high-level players. The first time led to the Rebels being in constant rotation, and good help defense forced a miss after McNeeley after five-star 2025 prospect Jasper Johnson got by McNeeley. After Team Thad rebounded Johnson’s miss, Johnson isolated and sped past McNeeley again for a crucial bucket.

When McNeeley’s shot isn’t falling, his defensive concerns can weaken his value. Montverde left McNeeley on the bench for most of the fourth quarter when he was scoreless in a loss to Mount St. Joseph last December.

As far as his help defense is concerned, it was difficult to evaluate McNeeley in that aspect. Montverde has Cooper Flagg, Asa Newell and IU target Derik Queen as its primary rim protectors. McNeeley was always on the court with one or two of those great help defenders, so Montverde didn’t ask much of McNeeley in that role.

McNeeley probably won’t become a perimeter stopper at Indiana, but he’ll need to take a couple of steps in the right direction before getting to campus. He has the frame to become a solid defender, it’s just about whether he gains agility and learns to use his size.

FINISHING CONSISTENCY

While McNeeley drives to the basket a decent amount, the results can be uninspiring at times. He doesn’t get a lot of lift at the rim, which hinders his finishing ability.

McNeeley’s progression in this area may come naturally. Currently, strong contact throws him off balance and forces him to lean away from the hoop on the interior. With another year of strength training and an offseason at Indiana, McNeeley could develop into a much stronger and consistent finisher.

McNeeley won’t be someone who slams the ball over defenders. He doesn’t quite have the burst to do so. But if he can get to a point where he’s shooting his layups with his hands at or above the rim, McNeeley will become a much more reliable finisher.

Final Thoughts

The Hoosiers are getting a wonderful shooter who will always put pressure on defenses. Teams can not afford to leave McNeeley unattended, which always poses a threat.

McNeeley has to improve his agility and strength to fulfill his potential. The good news is he has another year to grow in those areas. If he shows slight improvement, he could have an immediate impact on IU.

It’s unclear what the IU roster will look like in 12 months. Woodson could rely on McNeeley to be one of the team’s leaders, or he could be just a role player in his first college season. Either way, the addition of McNeeley marks yet another huge recruiting victory for Woodson and his staff.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana basketball recruiting: Liam McNeeley scouting report