Five-star forward Liam McNeeley commits to Indiana: What he brings to Hoosiers

Indiana landed its first commit for the Class of 2024 with five-star small forward Liam McNeeley’s announcement Sunday. Here’s what you need to know:

• McNeeley plays at Montverde Academy and is the No. 3-ranked player in Florida and No. 13 overall in the nation, according to the 247 Sports Composite.
• Indiana and Kansas were McNeeley’s two finalists. He also received offers from Texas, Alabama and Michigan, among others.
• McNeeley scored 25 points with seven rebounds on Saturday to help the Florida Eagles beat AZ Compass and advance to the finals in the Top Flight Invite at the Border League in Las Vegas.

What McNeeley brings to Bloomington

McNeeley is one of the more unique prospects in 2024, as he can do a little bit of everything on the floor well. At the Nike EYBL Peach Jam, he averaged 15.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. At 6-foot-7 he can play multiple positions on the floor and can be used as a primary playmaker. He often runs his team’s offense in both AAU and high school ball effectively.

McNeeley was known as a shooter but has worked on his game and is impactful whenever he steps on the court. He has a swagger and a play style that makes others want to root or play alongside him. He will be a fan favorite in Bloomington on and off the court.

There was a stigma in years past that you couldn’t be a pro at Indiana. Well, coach Mike Woodson and staff have put that rumor to bed. For the third year in a row, they have landed a five-star wing, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Mackenzie Mgbako and now McNeeley. — Tobias Bass, college basketball recruiting writer

What’s next for Indiana?

Woodson lands his first five-star recruit of the 2024 class and he will try to add McNeeley’s teammate Derik Queen, a 6-foot-9 forward, and four-star point guard Boogie Fland. Queen officially visited with McNeeley in September while Fland visited in June. It will be a tough race for the Hoosiers as Maryland and Houston are in hot pursuit of Queen.

As for Fland, he recently cut his list to three: Kentucky, Indiana and Alabama. Hoosier fans need to pay close attention to Fland, as he may come off the board soon. — Bass

Required reading

• Big Ten media poll: Purdue’s the heavy preseason favorite, but postseason is real question
• Why Maryland, Indiana, San Diego State and others didn’t make preseason Top 25

(Photo: Reinhold Matay / USA Today)