Liam McNeeley closed his rookie campaign with a clear mantra: there are no off days. The 20-year-old forward told the Charlotte Observer that his offseason will be spent in the weight room, building the physical strength he believes will let him compete for a larger role in his sophomore season.

McNeeley’s first year in the NBA was limited to 31 games with Charlotte, a schedule that forced him to split time between the Hornets and their G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm. In Greensboro he started 16 of 18 appearances and posted 19.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists while averaging 31.5 minutes per game. Those numbers helped the Swarm capture their first franchise title in April, sweeping the Stockton Kings in a best-of-three series.

Reflecting on his development, McNeeley said, “I’m getting in the gym. I want to come back a lot stronger. I’m going to be in the weight room a lot, get my strength up. A lot of that is just getting older and maturing physically.” He added that the experience of going into training camp this year differs from his rookie season, noting, “Going into training camp, I didn’t have that last year. I didn’t know what to expect. But now I do know what to expect.” The forward’s focus on a “killer mindset” and added muscle is aimed at improving his defensive presence and his ability to finish plays through contact.

The Hornets’ investment in McNeeley began when they selected him at No. 29 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, a pick that analysts later called a draft-night steal. While his NBA minutes were scarce, his contributions in the G League demonstrated a readiness to compete at a higher level. The dual championships he now holds , the Swarm’s G League title and Charlotte’s 2025 Las Vegas Summer League crown , underscore a winning mindset that the organization hopes will translate to the NBA floor.

Looking ahead, McNeeley is eyeing a spot on the Hornets’ Summer League roster, where he hopes to defend the 2025 title and continue the growth he has charted over the past year. If his offseason regimen pays off, the Hornets could see a more physically imposing forward who can contribute on both ends of the court and help the team’s ongoing rebuilding effort.