Former Arizona Wildcat T.J. McConnell will be eligible to join the McKale Center Ring of Honor with one more NBA season, and he'll have plenty of chances to do so after signing a contract extension Friday.
The Indiana Pacers agreed to terms with the guard on a four-year extension worth $45 million.
Agents Mark Bartelstein and Andy Shiffman confirmed the deal in an email to The Associated Press on Friday. McConnell, who is signed for $9.3 million for the upcoming NBA season, is now under contract with the Pacers through 2028-29.
The 32-year-old McConnell is coming off career highs in scoring with 10.2 points a game during the regular season and 11.8 points a game in the playoffs on Indianaβs run to the Eastern Conference final. He was seventh in voting for the league's Sixth Man of the Year Award after appearing in 71 games and starting just four while averaging 18.2 minutes per game. He shot 55.6% from the field overall and 40.9% from 3-point range.
Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) celebrates after making a three-point basket during the second half of Game 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference basketball finals against the Boston Celtics on May 25 in Indianapolis.
McConnell has played nine years in the NBA, and a 10th would make him eligible for the Ring of Honor. He has averaged 7.5 points and 5.1 assists in 627 career games.
A Western Pennsylvania native who played college basketball at Duquesne and Arizona, McConnell has spent nine years in the NBA with the 76ers and Pacers since making his debut in October 2015. He signed with the Sixers after going undrafted that year and joined the Pacers as a free agent in 2019.
In his two years at Arizona, McConnell started all 76 games while leading the Wildcats to back-to-back Elite 8s.
Arizona Basketball Press Conference - Trey Townsend - July 18, 2024 (Arizona Wildcats YouTube)
TIMECODES:
00:00 - Pre-Press Conference
20:08 - Interview Begins
41:45 - Interview Ends
