'Total killer': Dan Hurley's 5-star prospect could dethrone Cooper Flagg as UConn boss makes bold prediction

Dan Hurley is on a mission to do something that has only been done once before in men's college basketball. He has an arsenal of strong players on his side, but there is one newcomer who has completely won him over. UConn already had impressive freshmen, with Stephon Castle being the youngest. But that was before Liam McNeeley came to town. And it may not just be the Huskies where the 19-year-old stands out, but even Duke's Cooper Flagg and the entire NCAA.

In conversation with ESPNHurley mentioned which players he thinks can lead in the locker room. While expectations are already on Alex Karaban, the UConn head coach also said: “We have a freshman named Liam McNeeley who will be one of the best freshmen in the country, if not the best; The guy is a total killer.”

When the season opened on November 4th, one of the most anticipated debuts this year was that of Cooper Flagg. The Duke freshman, who actually played with McNeeley at Montverde Academy in Florida, didn't disappoint as he came to life in the second half against Maine. Sure, he's not a scorer, but his defensive and blocking skills, as well as defending multiple positions on offense, make him a sought-after all-rounder. And yet, for Hurley, it may not compare to UConn's best this season.

The coach called McNeeley directly “The best rookie we’ve ever brought in considering how good he is right now.” There was a minor injury scandal in July when McNeeley called his trainer and told him about a sprained ankle he suffered during practice. But three months later, the freshman appears to be in prime shape to compete with his seniors and win a trophy in March.

Hurley also said there were some sophomores “are about to take off like rocket ships” like Solo Ball, Jayden Ross and Jaylin Stewart. Ultimately, it will be a dangerous team looking for another win and Liam McNeeley wants to be a part of it.

Liam McNeeley wants another trophy in Storrs as much as Dan Hurley – 'championship or nothing'

Everyone knows what mindset Dan Hurley will adopt this season. And while he wants his team to exhibit the same passionate passion, their newest hire is showing it too. Liam McNeeley said ESPN, “We-UConn has won two consecutive national championships, and if it is less than one national championship, it is a failure. That’s exactly the culture I want to live in.”

Every Huskies player wears a “dynasty' bracelet on their wrists this year. McNeeley also revealed: “The theme he implemented was dynasty. He talked about it a few times and had the definition up on the board for us. That's just the culture. Mastery or nothing.”

As to why he corrected himself from “we” to “UConn” in the first statement, the freshman was clear about his goals. “I really didn’t do anything,” he said. “My plan is clean. I can’t take credit for these two national championships, but I do want to take credit for one of them.”

Dan Hurley wants to make the impossible possible, and that extends to his team. The back-to-back wins have only fired him up even more and the intensity coupled with the extremely talented players is sure to make for an explosive mix.