NBA
TM
#9

T.J. McConnell

Guard · Indiana Pacers · 6'1", 190 lb · Born Mar 25, 1992 · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · Drafted Undrafted, 2015
Elite reserve9 steals in a halfUndraftedEnergy & defense
NBAIndiana PacersGuards
Compare:vs Nesmithvs Nembhardvs Mathurinvs Walkervs Huffvs Jr.
In short

T.J. McConnell is a beloved veteran backup point guard for the Indiana Pacers — a relentless defender, energetic playmaker, and efficient finisher. Undrafted out of Arizona in 2015, he became one of the NBA's most productive reserves and a spark off the bench during Indiana's 2025 NBA Finals run, where he set a Finals record for a bench player.

Matchup model · next gameMedium confidenceTue, Nov 10
vsLA ClippersDrop coverage
Proj. points
9.3
range 6.6–12
Line 9.5
48%
to go over
Team win
63%
114–111
Poi 9.3 Lean underReb 2.3 Lean underAss 5.1 Lean overPRA 16.7 Lean under
Likely on himKris Dunn· 86 Perimeter DStrong defender
5+ pts92%10+ pts41%

Model lines McConnell at 9.3 pts (range 6.6–12) vs a 9.5 line — roughly a coin flip to clear it (48%).

Biggest edge: scheme fit — drop coverage concedes the pull-up/mid-range he likes.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about McConnell
The McConnell Story — narrated
Tap play to hear his story, told as a 90-second short.
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A beloved veteran spark plug — relentless defense, energy, and playmaking off the bench.

From a basketball family, McConnell went undrafted out of Arizona in 2015 and made it on grit.

🏫 Arizona · undraftedPittsburgh

He became one of the NBA's most productive reserves with Philadelphia and Indiana.

Elite reserveEnergy & defense

He set an NBA record with nine steals in a half.

9 steals · halfDefensive pest

He sparked Indiana's 2025 Finals run with a record bench performance.

2025 FinalsFinals bench record
— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
9.4
2025-26
RPG
2.3
per game
APG
5.1
per game
FG%
.538
.330 from three
LIFE

Roots & the rise

A beloved veteran spark plug — relentless defense, energy, and playmaking off the Pacers' bench.

T.J. McConnell was born in Pittsburgh into a basketball family and played at Duquesne before transferring to Arizona. He went undrafted in 2015 but carved out a long career on grit — first with Philadelphia, then Indiana, where he became one of the league's most productive and beloved reserves.

Known for relentless on-ball defense (he set an NBA record with nine steals in a half), energetic pace-pushing, and efficient interior scoring, he was a key spark during Indiana's run to the 2025 NBA Finals — where he became the first player to record 10 points, five assists, and five steals off the bench in a Finals game.

Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference, ESPN.

BEYOND THE GAME

Beyond the game

McConnell comes from a deep basketball family — his father, Tim, is a longtime coach, his aunt Suzie McConnell-Serio is an Olympic gold medalist and Hall of Famer, and his siblings played college and pro ball. He married his high-school sweetheart, and that grounded, hard-nosed background shows in his relentless style.

His on-court identity is energy, defense, and playmaking — a 6-foot-1 spark plug who pressures ball-handlers, pushes the pace, distributes (five assists a game), and finishes efficiently inside without needing a jump shot. One of the great undrafted success stories, he is a fan favorite and the heartbeat of Indiana's bench.

PERSONALITY

The person

A relentless, energetic reserve guard — on-ball defense, pace, and efficient playmaking.

Defensive pestSet an NBA record with nine steals in a half.
Spark plugPushes the pace and energizes the second unit.
EfficientA high field-goal percentage for a guard, scoring inside.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Pesky Backup Guard
Temperament
Spark
Leadership
58/100
Scoring57
Playmaking68
Rebounding40
Perimeter D76
Rim protection21
Spacing59
Athleticism70
Clutch62
a pesky, energetic backup point guard
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

The ultimate spark plug

McConnell's value is energy, defense, and playmaking — a relentless on-ball pest (an NBA record nine steals in a half), a pace-pusher, and an efficient distributor and interior finisher who scores without needing a jumper. That bench spark, at a high field-goal percentage, changes the tempo and energy of a game the moment he checks in.

A winning reserve

His record 2025 Finals bench line — 10 points, five assists, five steals — captured why he's one of the league's most valued reserves and a fan favorite. Not a shooter or a starter, his role is defined and durable: bring defense, pace, and playmaking off the bench. With Haliburton out, that veteran backcourt stability matters even more for Indiana.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-265617.29.42.35.1.538.330

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

RecordNBA record with nine steals in a half (2021)
2025First player with 10 points, five assists, and five steals off the bench in an NBA Finals game
MilestoneSecond player to reach 3,000 career assists off the bench

Hardware

3
Career triple-doubles
9
Steals in a half (NBA record)
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated July 13, 2026

A beloved veteran spark plug — defense, energy, and playmaking off Indiana's bench.

McConnell remains one of the NBA's most productive and valued reserves — a relentless defender, pace-pusher, and efficient playmaker who sparked Indiana's 2025 Finals run. With Haliburton out for 2025-26, his veteran backcourt stability and energy are even more important for the Pacers.

On-ball defenseElite
Playmaking / paceStrong
Interior finishingEfficient
Outside shootingLimited

Contract

Role
Backup PG spark plug
Path
Undrafted → star reserve
Age
34 veteran
Bottom line

One of the NBA's great undrafted success stories and most valued reserves — a relentless defensive spark plug and efficient playmaker who energizes Indiana's bench.

FAQ

Quick answers

What makes T.J. McConnell valuable?

Energy, defense, and playmaking off the bench — a relentless on-ball defender (an NBA record nine steals in a half), pace-pusher, and efficient distributor and finisher.

Was T.J. McConnell drafted?

No — he went undrafted in 2015 out of Arizona and became one of the NBA's most productive reserves through sheer grit.

What did T.J. McConnell do in the 2025 Finals?

He was a spark off the bench, becoming the first player to record 10 points, five assists, and five steals off the bench in an NBA Finals game.