Pacers T.J. McConnell: 'Winning Basketball Player'

T.J. McConnell enjoyed a career-high season and postseason. Although the Indiana Pacers had the veteran backup guard on the books for the 2024-25 season, their front office rewarded McConnell's playoff efforts with a contract extension. Veteran XM NBA radio host Brian Geltzeiler had high praise for the backup Pacers point guard. 

Last season, McConnell averaged a career-high 10.2 points and finished seventh in the Sixth Man of the Year award race. 

While he didn't begin the season in the Pacers' rotation, he ended up being one of the significant pieces during the Eastern Conference Finals run. 

Geltzeiler went as far as saying McConnell is the "guts of the team."

"T.J. McConnell is a winning basketball player... What you really saw was in the playoffs. In the East playoffs, he was 11.8 points and five assists per game. Just playing his backside off on both ends," Geltzeiler said. 

McConnell led the second unit of a high-octane offense. The Pacers finished the 2023-24 season second in offensive rating. There is no doubt McConnell will maintain his spot in the rotation moving forward. Rick Carlisle has his Eastern Conference version of J.J. Barea - a smaller-stature guard with the heart of a 6-7 wing.

The Pacers did a commendable job keeping their core intact in light of their re-signing of Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin.

However, for Indiana to make another deep playoff run, depth will matter—McConnell's impressive Eastern Conference performance vs. the Boston Celtics is a legitimate example.