Megan and T.J. McConnell are siblings who’ve achieved their desires of enjoying basketball professionally. After going undrafted following their school careers, T.J. is now with the Indiana Pacers, and Megan performs for the Phoenix Mercury.
Throughout an interview with NBA TV, T.J. McConnell mentioned his vital contributions to the workforce’s 2025 NBA Finals Sport 6 victory over the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.
Halfway by the interview, Tim’s father unexpectedly joined in to precise how proud he’s to see his son and daughter enjoying within the NBA and WNBA. He said, “It is a dream come true.”
TJ’s dad crashed the NBA TV whereas his son was being interviewed
“I’ve a son within the NBA and I’ve a daughter within the WNBA. It is a dream come true” pic.twitter.com/yVAAF9M7wG
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) June 20, 2025
“I’ll let you know proper now, he’s a warrior, it’s by no means how tall you might be,” Tim stated on NBA TV. “[His performance] was glorious. Simply upset he missed these two foul pictures at first. I stored saying, ‘Man, I want you’d’ve made these two foul pictures.’ However, he recovered and we received the sport.
“I can overlook in regards to the foul pictures. Something can occur in Sport 7. We’re going to OKC to try to win a world championship. My son’s part of it and I can’t consider that.”
T.J. McConnell’s Basketball Profession
T.J. began his school profession with the Duquesne Dukes, enjoying with that program two seasons. He was honored with the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the 12 months award and chosen for the All-Defensive Staff. How T.J. obtained there’s an fascinating story in itself after enjoying at Chartiers Valley (Bridgeville, Pa.) at for Cleveland Basketball Membership on the Adidas circuit. As soon as he obtained his alternative with CBC, West Virginia, Texas and UCLA tried to get in late on him, however his aunt, Suzie McConnell-Serio, was the ladies’s head coach at Duquesne and he determined to maintain his dedication.
T.J. then transferred to the College of Arizona to play for the Wildcats his last two years of faculty basketball. He made a right away affect on the workforce, main them to 2 consecutive appearances within the Elite Eight.
Throughout his time at Arizona, T.J. acquired a number of honors, together with All-Pac-12 Second Staff in 2014 and the All-Pac-12 First Staff in 2015. He was additionally acknowledged as a member of the All-Pac-12 Defensive Staff twice and inducted into the Wildcats’ Ring of Honor final December.
“However I simply suppose the folks right here (in Arizona) are what makes it particular,” Megan stated of her reflection on T.J.’s time on the College of Arizona.
After finishing his collegiate profession, T.J. spent the primary 4 seasons of his skilled journey with the Philadelphia 76ers, his hometown workforce. He performed a vital function in reworking the workforce from one of many worst within the league to a playoff contender. The 76ers made it to the playoffs in 2018 and 2019, the place Philadelphia was eradicated within the second spherical each instances.
T.J.’s Tenure with the Indiana Pacers
In the summertime of 2019, T.J. turned an unrestricted free agent and signed a multi-year contract with the Indiana Pacers. He joined a franchise present process a rebuild, which included adjustments within the teaching employees.
After buying guard Tyrese Haliburton in 2022 and Pascal Siakam in 2024 by trades, the Indiana Pacers emerged as a NBA playoff contenders.
T.J. is now one of many workforce’s longest-tenured gamers, alongside heart Myles Turner, who was chosen at eleventh total by the Indiana Pacers within the 2015 NBA Draft.
T.J. has turn out to be one of many key contributors within the workforce’s final two NBA playoff runs, particularly throughout this season’s NBA Finals look, the franchise’s first since 2000.
Because the Pacers confronted elimination at dwelling in Sport 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Haliburton performed by a calf pressure he had sustained within the earlier recreation. T.J. stepped up with a big-time efficiency off the bench for Indiana, ending with 12 factors, 9 rebounds, six assists, and 4 steals within the victory.
His enthusiasm, hustle and prompt the bench has Indiana on the point of the franchise’s first NBA title.
Megan McConnell’s journey to the WNBA
Megan had a school basketball journey just like her brother T.J., spending 5 seasons with the Duquesne Dukes and going undrafted on this 12 months’s WNBA Draft. All through her collegiate profession, she earned loads of particular person honors, together with All-Atlantic 10 Second Staff in 2023 and All-Atlantic 10 First Staff in 2024 and 2025.
T.J. McConnell reveals like to his sister, Megan McConnell by rocking her jersey💜
📲 (through @NBATV)#WNBA #NBA pic.twitter.com/q7zMwVlF4o
— Prime Stories (@Prime_Reports) June 6, 2025
Megan participated within the Phoenix Mercury coaching camp, the place she rapidly made a powerful impression. Nevertheless, she was one of many final gamers reduce earlier than the season started. In June, the workforce waived guard Sevgi Uzun and subsequently added Megan again to the roster. Megan identified that she and T.J. discuss on a regular basis and each have related targets of creating a distinction for his or her respective groups.
“We now have this mindset, this motto of proving folks incorrect,” Megan stated through the Mercury’s coaching camp in Could. “Undrafted, drafted, it doesn’t matter. Simply go in and hold proving folks incorrect, work arduous, and depart all of it on the market. That’s what he did, and that’s what I’m making an attempt to do.”
As T.J. and the Indiana Pacers head to Sport 7 of the NBA Finals towards the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder on Sunday, Megan continues to show the doubters incorrect by contributing within the WNBA.
The McConnell’s story in an unimaginable story of perseverance, believing in a single’s self and taking benefit and being prepared for the alternatives that current themselves.
Most of all, the Megan and T.J. supply unwavering assist for one another and consider in one another regardless of which means the ball bounces.
