Latest news with #MontverdeAcademy
CBS News
02-07-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
North Texas native Liam McNeeley drafted by Charlotte Hornets, celebrates family roots, love for basketball
At just three years old, Liam McNeeley was introduced to the game of basketball at the Richardson YMCA's Small Fry Sports program. Instantly, he was hooked. "Basketball has always been my favorite thing to do," he said. "I always have a super wide smile on my face when I'm playing and that's how I feel on the inside as well." The love for the game runs in his family. His mom played at Rice University, his grandfather at TCU and his great-grandfather at the University of Tulsa. "It's just kind of part of our family culture," McNeeley's mom, Ashley Elsey, said. "You get into it. You know there's balls everywhere, at everyone's house, and we just watch games together." McNeeley had the passion but also put in the work. Here locally, he made a name for himself at J.J. Pearce High School and John Paul II High School, before transferring to Montverde Academy in Florida. It's known as a powerhouse for top basketball talent. He played college ball at the University of Connecticut. We asked at what point he realized he could make a career out of basketball. "I would say my junior year of high school when I was at Montverde Academy in Florida," he said. His senior year, McNeeley helped lead the team to an undefeated season and a national championship. Draft night was a celebration. "My team, we had four first-round draft picks in this draft.. Cooper Flagg, Derik Queen, Asa Newell, and me," he said. McNeeley is headed to the Charlotte Hornets. "You know, that is what I've always dreamed about," he said. "Hearing my name called, walking up on the stage. Putting the hat on. Shaking Adam Silver's hand." After the draft, he reunited with his former teammate and newest Dallas Maverick, Cooper Flagg, for a photo shoot. "You know that's my brother," he said. "I'm super happy for him. We spent a lot of time together at Montverde and through the summer, and just through this process." Naturally, he had a few local recommendations for Flagg. "You know I told him to stay on the Tex-Mex," he said. "He's never really had Tex-Mex before and that's my favorite food, but you know my family and friends are super excited to see him and just be close to him." In the days following the draft, McNeeley has been soaking it all in with his family. "I was going through photos and just searched 'basketball' on my phone, and a million pictures came up, and the pictures of the YMCA playing the Small Fry basketball with his little yellow penny on just brought tears to my eyes," Elsey said. Now, with the next chapter fast approaching, McNeeley is ready to take his shot, but says he'll never forget the gym where it all started.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hornets Take Liam McNeeley With 29th Pick in 2025 NBA Draft
Hornets Take Liam McNeeley With 29th Pick in 2025 NBA Draft originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Charlotte Hornets selected Liam McNeeley with the 29th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night. Advertisement The 6-foot-7 wing spent a year at UConn with Dan Hurley, but made an impact as the Big East Newcomer of the Year. He was the last player in the green room on Wednesday night. "This is a dream come true regardless of the number where I was picked," McNeeley told ESPN. He's one of four players going in the first round from Florida's Montverde Academy, including Cooper Flagg, Derik Queen, and Asa Newell. This move to get McNeeley comes after the Hornets traded Mark Williams to the Suns for two first-round picks. The other is a top-five protected first-rounder in 2029. The trade isn't official until the league's first day of business on July 6. Williams averaged 15.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game last season. Advertisement The deal marks the second time the Hornets have tried to trade Williams. They thought they sent him to the Los Angeles Lakers before the trade deadline in exchange for a package that featured Dalton Knecht and a 2031 first-round pick. Related: Hornets Trade Mark Williams to Suns for Two First-Round Picks, per Report But the Lakers rejected the deal after they said that Williams failed a physical. He's headed to Phoenix who recently traded Kevin Durant. Related: Charlotte Hornets Select Kon Knueppel with No. 4 Pick in 2025 NBA Draft Charlotte picked Duke forward Kon Knueppel with the fourth overall pick. The 6-foot-5 sharpshooter known for his high basketball IQ. While some anticipated Charlotte might take a swing on the higher-upside Ace Bailey or consider trade-down options, the Hornets opted for stability and fit with Knueppel. Advertisement Related: Reactions Pouring in After Hornets Draft Kon Knueppel The duo of Knueppel and McNeeley coming to Charlotte signals a change with the Hornets draft strategy from flash to secure picks. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
Washington Post
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Flagg is first of 4 Montverde Academy players taken in opening round of NBA draft
NEW YORK — Cooper Flagg, Liam McNeeley, Asa Newell and Derik Queen became the second quartet from Montverde Academy to be taken in the first round of the NBA draft. The group played together on the 2024 Montverde team that's based in Florida and went 33-0, dominated its competition winning by an average of 34 points, including 30 games by double-digits. They won the school's eighth national championship and finished as the No. 1 team in the country. Flagg went first to the Dallas Mavericks. Queen was next off the board, going 13th to the Atlanta Hawks. Newell was drafted 23rd by the New Orleans Pelicans. McNeeley was the last one taken, going 29th to the Phoenix Suns. Queen, Newell and McNeeley all didn't last long on their teams as the trio were all traded. Queen is headed to New Orleans while Newell is going to Atlanta. McNeeley is ending up with the Hornets. 'I got to watch all my guys get drafted,' McNeeley said. It's the second time that the basketball powerhouse had a quartet taken in the draft. In 2021, the school had alums Cade Cunningham (1st), Scottie Barnes (4th), Moses Moody (14th) and Day'Ron Sharpe (29th) all drafted in the first round. ___ AP NBA:
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The only team with more 2025 NBA first-round draft picks than Cooper Flagg's Duke? Cooper Flagg's prep team
Cooper Flagg has had some talented teammates in the past couple of years. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images) In the 2025 NBA Draft, one team had more cause to celebrate than Cooper Flagg's college basketball team. It was Cooper Flagg's prep basketball team. Duke made history with three players picked in the top 10 — with Flagg at first overall — but the bigger accomplishment arguably belonged to Montverde Academy, the prep school that featured the No. 1, 13, 23 and 29 picks on the same team last year. Advertisement You will not be shocked to hear that team went 33-0 and won the national championship. They won their games by an average margin of 29.8 points. Name Position Rivals recruit rank College NBA Draft pick NBA team Cooper Flagg F 1 Duke 1 Mavericks Asa Newell F 13 Georgia 23 Hawks Liam McNeeley F 17 UConn 29 Hornets Derik Queen C 18 Maryland 13 Pelicans Robert Wright III G 25 Baylor N/A TBD Curtis Givens III G 87 LSU N/A TBD Flagg was the crown jewel of the class, the top overall recruit of the class according to Rivals and the No. 1 pick for the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. Right behind him were No. 13 recruit Asa Newell, No. 17 recruit Liam McNeeley and No. 18 recruit Derik Queen, all of them five stars. There were also four-star recruits Robert Wright III and Curtis Givens III, still playing at Baylor and LSU respectively. Six top 100 recruits on the same team, who all went their separate ways after one of the best high school seasons ever. Flagg reclassified and earned National Player of the Year honors at Duke when he should have been a high school senior. Queen went to Maryland, won Big Ten Freshman of the Year and went 13th to the New Orleans Pelicans. Newell made the SEC All-Freshman team at Georgia and went 23rd to his hometown Atlanta Hawks. McNeeley was the Big East Freshman of the Year at UConn and went 29th to the Charlotte Hornets. Advertisement McNeeley, who had to wait the longest in the green room to hear his name called, teared up when asked about his former teammates' collective achievements: "Those are my brothers. I'm so proud of them. It's a dream come true." As Yahoo Sports' Jeff Eisenberg documented, the Montverde 6 pulled it off with a complete lack of selfishness. With six players bound for high major programs, they adopted a system where they would rotate starters and have a different player come off the bench, including Flagg: 'Everybody sacrificed,' Newell said. 'We all knew that going in, but we all wanted to be part of something great.' Their collective dominance begged the question of what could have happened had they all decided to go to the same program. Queen estimated to Eisenberg they could have made the top 25. Wright believed they could have made it to the Sweet 16. Advertisement And one prep coach who faced them twice last season had a higher estimation: "The modern-day Fab Five.' Now we can only wonder if any of them join forces during their NBA careers. All four of Wednesday's picks have a path to quick playing time, with Flagg the overwhelming favorite for NBA Rookie of the Year.
Al Arabiya
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Flagg Is First of 4 Montverde Academy Players Taken in Opening Round of NBA Draft
Cooper Flagg, Liam McNeeley, Asa Newell, and Derik Queen became the second quartet from Montverde Academy to be taken in the first round of the NBA draft. The group played together on the 2024 Montverde team that's based in Florida and went 33–0, dominated its competition winning by an average of 34 points, including 30 games by double-digits. They won the school's eighth national championship and finished as the No. 1 team in the country. Flagg went first to the Dallas Mavericks. Queen was next off the board, going 13th to the Atlanta Hawks. Newell was drafted 23rd by the New Orleans Pelicans. McNeeley was the last one taken, going 29th to the Phoenix Suns. Queen, Newell, and McNeeley all didn't last long on their teams as the trio were all traded. Queen is headed to New Orleans, while Newell is going to Atlanta. McNeeley is ending up with the Hornets. 'I got to watch all my guys get drafted,' McNeeley said. It's the second time that the basketball powerhouse had a quartet taken in the draft. In 2021, the school had alums Cade Cunningham (1st), Scottie Barnes (4th), Moses Moody (14th), and Day'Ron Sharpe (29th) all drafted in the first round.
