T.J. McConnell's team-first approach plays well with young, talented Pacers

T.J. McConnell sat behind Arizona’s bench during its 81-66 upset loss at Utah last week, then had to relive the experience the following day.

This time, it was even worse.

At the end of a shootaround before his Indiana Pacers faced the Utah Jazz on Dec. 1, the former Wildcats point guard said Pacers teammate Tyrese Haliburton gave him a particularly hard time about the Wildcats’ loss, then complained directly to Hallburton as he walked by.

"I didn’t give you a hard time," Haliburton said. "I asked if you gave them a (pregame) speech."

McConnell replied sharply: "That’s why they came out the way they did? That’s brutal."

So Haliburton acted it out, demonstrating the limp manner in which he "envisioned" McConnell might have delivered such a speech.

"Hey, guys," Haliburton said, softly. "Let’s play hard tonight."

McConnell, who actually didn’t give the Wildcats any sort of speech at Utah, rolled his eyes.

"See what I deal with?" McConnell said.

Of course, it was all in good fun. Haliburton is the Pacers’ starting point guard and leading scorer, a Wisconsin native who played at Iowa State for two years through 2019-20. McConnell, the Western Pennsylvania-bred guard who spent two seasons at Duquesne and two seasons playing for Arizona through 2014-15, backs him up.

Playful interactions keep things smooth.

"We’re very close," Haliburton says. "We talk (trash) to each other all day nonstop about everything — about Arizona losing last night, about Iowa State, about the Steelers, the Packers. Everything. A lot of our relationship is just banter."

For McConnell, much the same is true about the rest of the roster. The Pacers went 45-28 the first season he was there in 2019-20 but won just 59 combined games over the past two … and now have a young roster including former UA wing Bennedict Mathurin that so far is back over .500.

Chemistry might have something to do with it.

"I think it’s the best locker room I’ve been in," McConnell said. "I don't want to take away from the other locker rooms I've been in, but with the youth we have here, I just didn't expect it to be this energetic. It's a positive and just amazing environment."

Since making 76ers’ roster as an undrafted free agent in 2015, McConnell spent four seasons in Philadelphia and the last three-plus in Indianapolis. At 30, McConnell is a veteran of sorts already.

"It's definitely different to be in my eighth year and be the second-oldest guy on the team," McConnell said. "I feel like that's rare. So I’m just trying to get in my comfort zone and be a leader in ways that I haven't been before.

"And this league is always about adapting to change. I feel like with my role every year, there’s the known stuff that I do, but I kind of just adapt to whatever the team needs. I feel like that's helped me stay around."

So, while McConnell has developed into one of the NBA’s better defenders, and into one of the Pacers’ leaders, he’s also known for doing some of the the same sort of stuff that he was known for doing at Arizona.

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That is, quick, high-IQ thinking, skillful passing .... and a lot of hustle.

"McConnell's one of these old-school, really unique guys and he's just a big part of the engine that runs our team," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "There really is nobody else quite like him in the league right now. He's just got a boundless energy and spirit, not just for the game but for his teammates."

Examples are not hard to find. Carlisle cited one during what he called an "Arizona moment" in the Pacers’ comeback 116-115 win over the Lakers in Los Angeles on Nov. 28.

"There were three guys ahead of him that were in proximity to the ball. He came from about 15 feet away, dove headfirst, took it away from them and gave it to Benn, who scored," Carlisle said. "That was the defining play of the game. We were still down 10 or 11 at that point (101-99) but that really turned the momentum of the game.

"He’s just a walking machine full of stuff like that. And he’s a great guy to be around every day. Just super."

Even though Mathurin didn’t arrive at Arizona until five years after McConnell left, he said he’s already appreciated how McConnell tries to "get me going" and help however possible.

Haliburton, having been traded from Sacramento to Indiana in February last season, said McConnell further impacted him entering his first full season with the Pacers.

"I think we were able to get a lot closer through training camp this year with him challenging me every day, killing me every day in practice," Haliburton said. "I know that if I can be prepared for him to guard me, I can be prepared for a lot of other challenges throughout the season.

"We have a great relationship and he's somebody who keeps me on my toes, knows how to challenge me but knows how to encourage me when I need that as well. Just a great guy overall."

For McConnell, all that helping may just be about payback.

Because the way McConnell expresses it, his journey from unheralded Duquesne guard to Arizona standout to a long NBA career took a lot of help from others.

No more so than went then-UA coach Sean Miller lobbied hard to get McConnell into the 2015 NBA Draft Combine when he was not initially invited despite becoming an all-Pac-12 first-team pick as a senior.

McConnell paid his own way to the combine in Chicago, then made his way in as a last-minute substitution. Once in the door, McConnell played well in the combine, and the momentum carried from there all the way into draft night, where he signed a free agent contract with Philadelphia minutes after the 2015 NBA Draft ended.

He's still in the league today, and maybe for a lot longer.

"When I was at U of A, and I'm just speaking the truth here, I don't think very many people looked at me — myself included — as an NBA player," McConnell said. "It was one of those things where it was the right situation at the right time with Philly. And I wouldn't be where I'm at right now without the University of Arizona, playing in front of those amazing fans and with my amazing teammates, and with Coach Miller.

"It’s like family to me. I wouldn't be here without them."