Liam McNeeley used Summer League to make a case for himself after a quiet rookie year. He appeared in just 31 games in 2025-26, averaging 4.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 11.9 minutes a night while shooting 40% from the field and 40% from three. This offseason cracked the door open. With Charlotte shipping LaMelo Ball to Minnesota and reshuffling the backcourt, there are rotation minutes to claim.
The Hornets extended Coby White on a three-year, $74 million deal, but they still don’t have a settled backup ball-handler behind him. Summer League gave McNeeley the keys to run the offense, and he took advantage.
Summer League coach Blaine Mueller pointed to McNeeley as Charlotte’s “primary creator,” praising his scoring across all three levels and, just as much, his defense. Mueller singled out McNeeley’s one-on-one work against New Orleans, where he read drivers well and stayed sound with his technique.
The numbers backed it up. McNeeley averaged 21.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 blocks while shooting 45.2% from the floor and 63.2% from three. The 20-year-old was already a knockdown shooter, and his ball-handling keeps coming along.
That showing could translate into bench minutes this season. He’s more floor-spacer than shot-creator, and that shooting alone can earn impactful minutes behind White and Kon Knueppel.
He won’t have the job handed to him. Sion James is also in the mix for backup minutes after playing all 82 games last season, when he averaged 5.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and two assists on 37.1% shooting and 35.2% from three. Rookie Christian Anderson, the 18th overall pick, factors in as well.
Charlotte has moved on from Ball and Miles Bridges, and it’s leaning on draft capital and a young core that includes McNeeley to shape what comes next.
