T.J. McConnell was already a household name in the NBA, and now his sister Megan is making waves with her debut in the WNBA. Hailing from an athletic household, this comes as no surprise. Their aunt, Suzie McConnell-Serio, was a former Olympic gold medalist and WNBA star. But the majority of the coaching credit goes to their dad, Tim McConnell, who is a legendary high school coach in Pennsylvania. However, the training methods were not easy, at least for the Pacers guard.

Just like the training methods, T.J. McConnell’s path to the NBA was not easy. He was a three-star/not ranked recruit coming out of high school. He battled his way to earn a spot on the tanking 76ers when he came into the league and has carved out a fantastic NBA career ever since. Currently, for the Pacers, he plays backup point guard to superstar Tyrese Haliburton. Yet, there is no stopping the Arizona alum from having his moments during the Finals.

Just at the start of the second quarter, his assist and steal within five seconds got the Gainbridge Fieldhouse cheering for him. At that point, for him, it was just six minutes of action, but the contributions were 2 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Even the broadcasters had to appreciate the hustle play, which led to us getting to know the journey of the Pittsburgh native.

“Back in Indianapolis, T.J. McConnell has sparked the 33-year-old backup point guard, undrafted 10th year in the league. Grown up in Pittsburgh, his dad was his high school coach. Says T.J., He coached me as hard as you can coach anyone. It was frustrating, it was difficult,” veteran voice of ESPN’s Mike Breen echoed during Game 3 of the NBA Finals broadcast. Sometimes, the issue would be so tense that mother, Shelly McConnell, had to broker the peace.

He continued, “Nights at dinner, sometimes they weren’t speaking. Mom had to be the buffer. But now he realizes he’s not here without his dad. He’s so grateful for all his dad did for him.” T.J. McConnell was undrafted out of Arizona in 2015. But fought his way into the league with the Philadelphia 76ers, becoming a fan favorite for his unparalleled hustle off the bench.

Now in his tenth NBA season, McConnell has earned respect for his defensive tenacity and selfless play.

T.J. McConnell and his family suffered a loss as he continues to win on the court with the Pacers

He is the once-tiny kid from suburban Pittsburgh who has exceeded expectations every step of his basketball life. That’s why his father was elated when his son began his career in the league. “I can’t believe my son is in the NBA,” Tim McConnell said 10 years ago. A similar sentiment echoed when the tickets to the Finals were booked. “I got on that court and just kept saying, ‘I can’t believe my son is going to the NBA Finals,’” Tim McConnell said to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. It was also an emotional moment as the McConnells had to say goodbye to the matriarch of the family.

T.J. McConnell’s grandmother passed away on May 23 at age 87. The Pacers’ point guard had to say goodbye on FaceTime to his dying grandma, which fell during the series against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Since the first two games were in New York, the 33-year-old was away from his family.

“We were cheering, but were so sad, too. It was something. The day she passed away, we all got to watch T.J. play that night,” Tim McConnell said. His son scored 10 points in the comeback victory in Game 1 and had 10 points and four assists in another Pacers win against the Knicks in Game 2. A bittersweet moment for the family, as they recover from the loss and T.J. McConnell continues to show the world his grit and determination.