T. J. McConnell
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Timothy John McConnell Jr. (born March 25, 1992) is an American professional
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
player for the
Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
of the
National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
(NBA). He played
college basketball College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...
for the
Duquesne Dukes The Duquesne Dukes are the athletic teams of Duquesne University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Dukes compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association as members of the Atlantic 10 Conference. Football and bowling, however ...
and the
Arizona Wildcats The Arizona Wildcats are the sport, athletic teams that represent the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, Arizona, Tucson. The Wildcats compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I (NCAA Divis ...
. After going undrafted, McConnell joined the
Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...
in 2015 and spent four seasons with the team before signing with the Pacers in 2019.


High school career

McConnell attended
Chartiers Valley High School Chartiers Valley High School is a public school that was established in 1959 and is physically located in Collier Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. However, the school's post office address is Bridgeville, PA. The scho ...
in the
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
-area borough of
Bridgeville, Pennsylvania Bridgeville is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,804 at the 2020 census. It is a residential suburb of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. History The village that eventually became Bridgeville acqui ...
, where he played for his father, Tim. As team captain his senior year, he averaged 34.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game, earned first-team all-state honors, and was named the
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
's Pennsylvania Class 3A Player of the Year male athlete of the year for all sports by the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving Greater Pittsburgh, metropolitan Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the fi ...
. He led the Colts to a 29–2 record, the
WPIAL The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL, pronounced ) is an interscholastic athletic association in Western Pennsylvania. It is District 7 of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. History The Western ...
championship, and a berth in the Class 3A state championship game as a senior, which they lost to Philadelphia's Neumann-Goretti.


College career

As a freshman for
Duquesne __NOTOC__ Duquesne or Duchesne ( , ; old spelling Du Quesne, American spelling DuQuesne) is a family name derived from a northern dialectal form of French (Norman and Picard) meaning ''du chêne'' in French ("of the oak"). The anglicization of t ...
in 2010–11, McConnell averaged 10.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.8 steals per game in 32 appearances (30 starts), earning 2011 Atlantic 10 Freshman of the Year honors. As a sophomore in 2011–12, he averaged 11.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 2.8 steals per game, helping the Dukes to a 16–15 record and earning third-team All-Atlantic 10 Conference honors and a spot on the A-10 All-Defensive Team. In April 2012, he transferred to
Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
where he was subsequently forced to sit out the 2012–13 season due to NCAA transfer rules. McConnell's transfer was motivated by a desire to compete for a national championship. In the 2013–14 season, McConnell helped lead the Wildcats to a 21–0 record to start the season before teammate
Brandon Ashley Brandon Damon Allen Ashley (born July 15, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Altiri Chiba of the Japanese B.League. He played college basketball for the University of Arizona. High school career Ashley attended Bishop ...
injured his foot and was sidelined for the rest of the season. The season culminated in an Elite 8 appearance for the Wildcats. As a senior, McConnell was voted first-team All-Pac-12 and named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team, and he helped lead Arizona to another appearance in the Elite Eight, where they lost to the Wisconsin Badgers for a second consecutive season. On December 18, 2024 McConnell became the 34th Arizona Wildcat to have his name inducted into the Arizona Basketball Ring of Honor, doing so by playing 10 years in the NBA.


Professional career


Philadelphia 76ers (2015–2019)

After going undrafted in the
2015 NBA draft The 2015 NBA draft was held on June 25, 2015, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. It was televised nationally in the U.S. by ESPN. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eli ...
, McConnell joined his home state team the
Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...
for the
2015 NBA Summer League The 2015 NBA Summer League consisted of three professional sports, pro basketball sports league, leagues organized by the National Basketball Association, NBA: the Orlando Magic, Orlando Pro Summer League, Utah Jazz Summer League, and Las Vegas S ...
. On September 27, 2015, he signed with the 76ers. He played well during preseason, averaging 6.2 points and 4.8 assists in five games, earning himself a spot on the 76ers' opening night roster. He went on to make his NBA debut in the team's season opener against the
Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
on October 28. In 27 minutes of action, he recorded four points, four assists, and three steals in a 112–95 loss. On February 6, 2016, while starting at point guard in place of the injured
Ish Smith Ishmael Larry Smith (born July 5, 1988) is an American former professional basketball player who is a pro scout for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Wake Forest Demon Dea ...
, McConnell tied his season-high of 17 points in a 103–98 win over the
Brooklyn Nets The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), ...
. On March 23, in a loss to the
Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA), W ...
, he had a 17-point outing for a third time in 2015–16. At the season's end, he received two votes in the 2016
NBA All-Rookie Team The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches who are not allowed to vote for play ...
voting. In July 2016, McConnell rejoined the 76ers for the
2016 NBA Summer League The 2016 NBA Summer League consisted of three pro basketball leagues organized by the National Basketball Association (NBA): the Orlando Pro Summer League, Utah Jazz Summer League, and Las Vegas Summer League. Ten teams participated in the week ...
. On December 11, 2016, he had a near triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in a 97–79 win over the
Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
. On January 6, 2017, he had a career-high 17 assists in a 110–106 loss to the
Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
, becoming just the fourth player in franchise history to hit that mark in a single contest. His total was two off the Philadelphia's all-time record of 19 assists, initially set by
Maurice Cheeks Maurice Edward Cheeks (born September 8, 1956) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who serves as assistant coach for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has also served as head coach of ...
in 1987, and later matched by
Dana Barros Dana Bruce Barros (born April 13, 1967) is an American former professional basketball player from the National Basketball Association (NBA). In college, he played at Boston College, finishing as one of the school's all-time leading scorers. He w ...
in 1995. McConnell hit a game-winning buzzer beater against the
New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...
with a turnaround jump shot on the baseline on January 11. On November 25, 2017, McConnell had 15 points and 13 assists in a 130–111 win over the
Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NB ...
. On January 15, 2018, he scored a career-high 18 points in a 117–111 win over the
Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), E ...
. On February 12, McConnell recorded his first career triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in a 108–92 win over the Knicks. He also matched a career high with six steals and became the first player in franchise history to record a triple-double off the bench. In Game 4 of the 76ers' second-round playoff series against the Celtics, McConnell had a career-high 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists in a 103–92 win, helping Philadelphia cut the series deficit to 3–1. On June 13, the 76ers announced they had exercised the fourth-year option on their contract with McConnell.


Indiana Pacers (2019–present)

On July 3, 2019, McConnell signed a two-year deal worth $7 million with the
Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
. On March 3, 2021, McConnell broke the NBA record for most steals in a half with 9. He also became the first player since
Mookie Blaylock Daron Oshay "Mookie" Blaylock (born March 20, 1967) is an American former professional basketball player. He spent 13 years in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the New Jersey Nets, Atlanta Hawks, and the Golden State Warriors. C ...
in 1998 to record a triple-double with points, steals, and assists, as well as the first one to do so off the bench. In August 2021, the Pacers re-signed McConnell to a 4-year, $35 million deal. On December 1, he suffered a right wrist injury in a 111–114 loss to the
Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
. On December 7, he underwent surgery and was ruled out for at least 10-to-12 weeks. On January 16, 2023, McConnell recorded a career-high 29 points, scoring 25 points in the first half, in a loss to the
Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
. On January 21, as a starter, McConnell recorded his 3rd career triple-double with 18 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds. On May 2, 2024, McConnell scored a playoff career-high 20 points and 9 rebounds in a 120–98 series-clinching victory against the
Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
in Game 6 of the
First Round First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...
. On August 30, McConnell signed a four-year, $45 million contract extension with the Pacers. On December 8, McConnell scored a career-high 30 points, going 14-for-19 with one rebound, six assists, two blocks, and two steals in a 113–109 loss to the
Charlotte Hornets The Charlotte Hornets are an American professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Hornets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team ...
. On June 11, 2025, McConnell recorded 10 points, 5 assists, and 5 steals in Game 3 of the
NBA Finals The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern and Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven series to determine the league ...
against the
Oklahoma City Thunder The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Confer ...
. He is the first player to record 10+ points, 5+ assists, and 5+ steals off the bench in an NBA Finals game.


Career statistics


NBA


Regular season

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Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, 81 , , 17 , , 19.8 , , .470 , , .348 , , .634 , , 3.1 , , 4.5 , , 1.2 , , .1 , , 6.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, 81 , , 51 , , 26.3 , , .461 , , .200 , , .811 , , 3.1 , , 6.6 , , 1.7 , , .1 , , 6.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, 76 , , 1 , , 22.5 , , .499 , , .435 , , .795 , , 3.0 , , 4.0 , , 1.2 , , .2 , , 6.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, 76 , , 3 , , 19.3 , , .525 , , .333 , , .784 , , 2.3 , , 3.4 , , 1.0 , , .2 , , 6.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, 71 , , 3 , , 18.7 , , .516 , , .294 , , .833 , , 2.7 , , 5.0 , , .8 , , .2 , , 6.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, 69 , , 3 , , 26.0 , , .559 , , .313 , , .688 , , 3.7 , , 6.6 , , 1.9 , , .3 , , 8.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, 27 , , 8 , , 24.2 , , .481 , , .303 , , .826 , , 3.3 , , 4.9 , , 1.1 , , .4 , , 8.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, 75 , , 6 , , 20.4 , , .543 , , .441 , , .853 , , 3.1 , , 5.3 , , 1.1 , , .1 , , 8.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, 71 , , 4 , , 18.2 , , .556 , , .409 , , .790 , , 2.7 , , 5.5 , , 1.0 , , .1 , , 10.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, 79 , , 1 , , 17.9 , , .519 , , .306 , , .740 , , 2.4 , , 4.4 , , 1.1 , , .3 , , 9.1 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 706 , , 97 , , 21.1 , , .516 , , .345 , , .778 , , 2.9 , , 5.0 , , 1.2 , , .2 , , 7.6


Playoffs

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Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, 10 , , 2 , , 15.5 , , .694 , , .667 , , .600 , , 2.6 , , 2.3 , , .6 , , .0 , , 5.5 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...
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Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, 9 , , 0 , , 8.3 , , .444 , , , , , , .7 , , 1.2 , , .2 , , .1 , , 2.7 , - , style="text-align:left;",
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Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
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Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
, style="background:#cfecec;", 23* , , 0 , , 17.5 , , .537 , , .421 , , .815 , , 3.2 , , 4.0 , , .9 , , .1 , , 9.5 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 62 , , 2 , , 16.3 , , .520 , , .354 , , .796 , , 2.7 , , 3.5 , , .7 , , .1 , , 8.1


College

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Duquesne __NOTOC__ Duquesne or Duchesne ( , ; old spelling Du Quesne, American spelling DuQuesne) is a family name derived from a northern dialectal form of French (Norman and Picard) meaning ''du chêne'' in French ("of the oak"). The anglicization of t ...
, 32 , , 30 , , 30.6 , , .498 , , .402 , , .683 , , 3.8 , , 4.4 , , 2.8 , , .2 , , 10.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2011–12 , style="text-align:left;", Duquesne , 31 , , 31 , , 34.3 , , .509 , , .432 , , .836 , , 4.4 , , 5.5 , , 2.8 , , .3 , , 11.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2013–14 , style="text-align:left;",
Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
, 38 , , 38 , , 32.3 , , .454 , , .360 , , .620 , , 3.6 , , 5.3 , , 1.7 , , .2 , , 8.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2014–15 , style="text-align:left;",
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, 38 , , 38 , , 30.5 , , .498 , , .321 , , .829 , , 3.8 , , 6.3 , , 2.2 , , .1 , , 10.4 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 139 , , 137 , , 31.8 , , .490 , , .380 , , .749 , , 3.9 , , 5.4 , , 2.3 , , .2 , , 10.2


Franchise records

* Most steals in a game in franchise history.
Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
(10) * First player in
Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...
history to record a
triple-double In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...
off the bench, during the 2017–18 season. In the final game of the same regular season
Markelle Fultz Markelle N'Gai Fultz (born May 29, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Washington Huskies before being selected by the P ...
achieved the same feat.


NBA Records

* NBA Record most steals in a half (9).


Personal life

McConnell's father, Tim Sr., is one of the most successful basketball coaches in
Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL, pronounced ) is an interscholastic athletic association in Western Pennsylvania. It is District 7 of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. History The Western Pe ...
history. After many successful runs with the
Chartiers Valley High School Chartiers Valley High School is a public school that was established in 1959 and is physically located in Collier Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. However, the school's post office address is Bridgeville, PA. The scho ...
boys' and girls' teams, he became the head coach of the
Bishop Canevin High School Bishop Canevin High School is a Jesuit-inspired high school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The school is located in the East Carnegie neighborhood of the city. History In 1958, Bishop John Dearden, Bishop of Pittsburgh, announc ...
boys' team, a position vacated by T.J.'s roommate at
Duquesne University Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit ( ; also known as Duquesne University or Duquesne) is a Private university, private Catholic higher education, Catholic research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of ...
, Gino Palmosina. Tim Sr. often jogs at Collier Park, the location of the T.J. McConnell Memorial Court. He played at
Waynesburg College Waynesburg University is a private Christian university in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, United States. It was established in 1850 and offers undergraduate and graduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations. The university enrolls aroun ...
from 1984 to 1986. T.J. has two siblings: Matthew and
Megan Megan is a Welsh feminine given name, originally a diminutive form of Margaret. Margaret is from the Greek μαργαρίτης (''margarítēs''), Latin ''margarīta'', "pearl". Megan is one of the most popular Welsh-language names for women in ...
. Matthew "Matty" McConnell played basketball for
Robert Morris University Robert Morris University (RMU) is a private university in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in 1921 and is named after Robert Morris (financier), Robert Morris, known as the "financier of the American Revolution". It enr ...
until graduating in 2018. Matthew and T.J. are the only two players in
Chartiers Valley High School Chartiers Valley High School is a public school that was established in 1959 and is physically located in Collier Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. However, the school's post office address is Bridgeville, PA. The scho ...
basketball history to accrue 2,000 points in their high school careers. Megan McConnell, also a former star basketball player at Chartiers Valley High School, was a lead guard at Duquesne University and played for the
Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Mercury compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Western Conference. One of eight original franchises, it wa ...
. T.J.'s aunt,
Suzie McConnell-Serio Suzie McConnell-Serio (born July 29, 1966) is an American former women's basketball coach and player. She was the head coach for the women's basketball team at the University of Pittsburgh from 2013 to 2018. In 2004, she was named WNBA Coach of t ...
, was an All-American at Penn State (1985–1988), Olympic gold medalist, and WNBA standout who was inducted to the
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors those who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. It is the only facility of its kind dedicated to all levels of women's bask ...
in 2008. She started her college coaching career at Duquesne. T.J. married his high school sweetheart, Valerie, in
Bridgeville, Pennsylvania Bridgeville is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,804 at the 2020 census. It is a residential suburb of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. History The village that eventually became Bridgeville acqui ...
, at Holy Child Parish (now known as Corpus Christi Parish) in 2017. Then-teammate
Nik Stauskas Nikolas Tomas Stauskas (born October 7, 1993) is a Canadian former professional basketball player who played six seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A shooting guard, Stauskas played two seasons of college basketball for the Mi ...
, and his Duquesne roommate, Palmosina, served as groomsmen.


Awards and honors

;High school * AP first-team all-state honors * AP Pennsylvania Class 3A Player of the Year ;College *NCAA Tournament West Region All-Tournament Team (2015) *District IX All-District Team
USBWA The United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) was founded in 1956 with the urging of National Collegiate Athletic Association director Walter Byers to serve the interests of journalists who cover college basketball. Scholarships The U ...
(2015) *Pac-12 Tournament All-Tournament Team (2015) *First-team All-Pac-12 (
2015 2015 was designated by the United Nations as: * International Year of Light * International Year of Soil __TOC__ Events January * January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...
) *Second-team All-Pac-12 (
2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
) *2x Pac-12 All-Defensive Team (2014, 2015) *Third-team All-
Atlantic 10 The Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) is a collegiate athletic conference whose schools compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I. The A-10's member schools are located mostly on the East Coast and Midwest of the ...
(2012) *Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team (2012) *Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year (2011) *Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team (2011) *ECAC Rookie of the Year (2011) *CollegeInsider.com Freshman All-America (2011)


See also

*
List of National Basketball Association single-game steals leaders This is a complete listing of National Basketball Association players who have recorded nine or more steals in a game. 52 players have recorded nine or more steals in a game. It has occurred 72 times in NBA history. Allen Iverson is the only pla ...


References


External links


Arizona Wildcats bio


{{DEFAULTSORT:McConnell, T. J. 1992 births Living people American men's basketball players Arizona Wildcats men's basketball players Basketball players from Pittsburgh Duquesne Dukes men's basketball players Indiana Pacers players Philadelphia 76ers players Point guards Undrafted NBA players 21st-century American sportsmen