TJ McConnell inducted into Arizona’s Ring of Honor

On By Littum

game

INDIANAPOLIS — After his sophomore season at Duquesne, TJ McConnell went to see an NCAA tournament game at PPG Paints Arena, home of the Pittsburgh Penguins, which is less than a quarter of a mile away from Duquesne’s basketball arena. There he told his father, Tim, who had coached him at Chartiers Valley High School in nearby Bridgeville, that as undersized as he was, he believed he belonged at a higher level and that he could and should play in a power conference program and tournament. armature.

That led him to Arizona, where he got to play for another Pittsburgh-area point guard in Sean Miller. That bold decision, McConnell said, is why he’s been in the NBA for 10 years. For that achievement, McConnell will be inducted into Arizona’s Ring of Honor Wednesday night at McKale Arena in Tucson before the Wildcats’ game against Samford.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without that place,” McConnell said after practice Tuesday. “For all the coaches, the teammates, everybody that was around, the staff that was there, I’m just very thankful, and especially the fans. They still show a lot of love. Just very thankful for that place.”

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said the entire team and travel company would fly to Tucson to attend before traveling to Phoenix for Thursday’s game against the Suns. Arizona agreed to move the ceremony up from halftime to accommodate the Pacers’ travel needs.

The Pacers also went to Tucson last year before their game with the Suns for former Arizona star Bennedict Mathurin to be inducted into the Ring of Honor.

Arizona Ring of Honor: Pacers join Bennedict Mathurin in Tucson for Arizona Ring of Honor Ceremony

The two players earned by meeting different criteria for automatic induction. Mathurin was the Pac-12 Player of the Year in 2022. McConnell had an outstanding career at Arizona, earning All-Pac-12 honors twice, including a first-team berth in his senior year. He helped lead the Wildcats to back-to-back Pac-12 titles and berths in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. However, these achievements were not enough for Ring of Honor achievement. Playing 10 years in a major professional league does, however, and McConnell accomplished that this year despite going undrafted.

The 6-1, 190-pound McConnell signed a multi-year contract with the 76ers in 2015 during their “Process” years, when they annually finished near the bottom of the NBA, but he carved out a niche as a savvy ball handler. and tenacious defender. After four years in Philadelphia, McConnell signed with the Pacers and three coaches have found him to be a difference maker. At 32 years old, he scores an average of 11.3 points per game. game on a career-best 57.2% shooting, establishing himself as one of the best backup point guards in the NBA.

McConnell’s Ring of Honor induction covers all of that.

“It feels like everything I’ve accomplished in my career, I’ve scratched and scratched and earned,” McConnell said. “This is no different. I’ve worked very hard to get to this point and I’m very grateful to Arizona for doing this.”