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Time of India

Liam McNeely gets teary-eyed alongside his mom, Ashley, as the Montverde quarter achieves a significant milestone

Liam McNeely (Image Source: @dfritzphotos/Instagram) Liam McNeely had one of the best nights of his career on June 25, when he became the 29th overall draft pick by the Charlotte Hornets during the 2025 NBA Draft. He will be joining the Hornets thanks to a trade deal between them and the Phoenix Suns, which will see center Mark Williams shifting to sunny Arizona. McNeely was excited as well as emotional as the night saw him become a part of the NBA after an incredible journey with the UConn Huskies. Liam McNeely gets emotional about his 'brothers' Liam McNeely is joining the Charlotte Hornets at the beginning of the next season as their newest forward, and fans are eager to see him bring his high basketball IQ into the big league. He was a standout player at Montverde Academy before joining the Huskies and made a name for himself pretty early in life. But he was not the only Academy player who had a big night, as his "brothers" were right there alongside him. Talking to ESPN, McNeely was seen getting emotional talking about his friends who also got drafted, and how great it was to share such an important night with them. 'Those are my brothers. So proud of them, it's a dream come true.' Both he and his mom, Ashley, were seen getting teary-eyed talking about the Montverde quartet, as they are popularly known, getting drafted. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villa For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search ads Learn More Undo The Academy has produced some of the brightest basketball stars - from Joel Embiid to Cade Cunningham, and now four more have managed to step into the world of the NBA with this year's draft picks. Who are Montverde quartet? This year saw Cooper Flagg (1st), Liam McNeeley (29th), Asa Newell (23rd), and Derik Queen (13th) become the second quartet from Montverde Academy to get picked during the first round of the NBA draft. This was similar to what happened back in 2021, when the academy's alumni - Cade Cunningham (1st), Scottie Barnes (4th), Moses Moody (14th), and Day'Ron Sharpe (29th) were also drafted in the first round. Cooper Flag was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks, who won the lottery to get the first pick. McNeely joined the Charlotte Hornets after a trade deal with the Phoenix Suns. Asa Newell will be joining the Atlanta Hawks, and finally, the New Orleans Pelicans get Derik Queen. These four youngsters led their academy team to unprecedented victory, becoming one of the best high school basketball teams with incredible stats. And it will be exciting to see how the future shapes up for these young stars. Also Read: NBA Draft News: Khaman Maluach becomes No. 10 pick during 2025 NBA Draft for Phoenix Suns amid Donald Trump's new visa policy Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.