McDonald’s All American East forward Liam McNeeley speaks during a press conference at JW Marriott Houston by The Galleria.

The Houston Rockets have one of the brightest futures in the NBA with seven first-round picks since 2021 on the roster.

In next summer’s draft, they could look to add to that young group with UConn freshman forward Liam McNeeley, who was mocked to the Rockets with the No. 12 overall pick by Bleacher Report analyst Jonathan Wasserman and compared to Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray.

“NBA teams should see an easy fit and appealing archetype with Liam McNeeley. He should look like one of the top freshmen shooters, and he’ll sell scouts further by scoring out of different sets/actions and making IQ plays. “Plug-and-play” figures to be a commonly used phrase to describe McNeeley’s game for Connecticut and eventually the NBA. Finishing efficiently inside the arc and defending with toughness will be keys to maximizing his draft stock,

The Rockets have been looking to shed the rebuilding label off for a while now, and they have been rumored to make a big trade in the foreseeable future. The youth movement might be too much for one roster to handle.

The Rockets need to start focusing on winning rather than the future, but if McNeeley has a strong season with the Huskies and he’s within Houston’s range for the draft, the team may look to take a flier on another young prospect.