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We All Predicted that T.J. McConnell Would Play for a Ring Before Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons
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The Villanova Knicks were eliminated from the postseason this weekend at the hands of the Indiana Pacers, meaning that Process Sixer T.J. McConnell will play for a ring:
Now that is a great photo! McConnell hitting a triple and then flashing the three sign right in front of Kylie Jenner and Ben Stiller’s dumbfounded faces. Ball knower Timothee Chalamet is looking like some orange and yellow greaser from The Outsiders. And does Miles Teller just go to every sports game in the United States these days? I thought he was a Philly sports fan? What’s he doing at MSG? That’s a violation, bo!
But on a more serious note, good for T.J. He played about 15 minutes a night in the conference finals and averaged eight points, three rebounds and three assists off the bench. He’s doing what he always did for the Sixers, providing some solid ball handling and energetic defense, darting along the baseline while getting buckets at the rim and hitting the occasional midrange jumper around the elbows. You talk about NBA role players and he fits the bill better than anyone. He did it so well during the early portion of his Pacers career, when he was making peanuts, and earned himself a four-year contract with $26 million guaranteed taking him to a club option at age 36.
This is how we all envisioned it back in 2017. Joel Embiid, Markelle Fultz, and Ben Simmons would be either stuck in the second round, injured, and/or coming off the bench for other teams. McConnell would be playing important minutes on a title contender.
There were a lot of guys who came in and out of the revolving Sixers door from 2013 to 2017, and some won rings in the future, like Ish Smith and JaVale McGee, who got a ‘chip with the Nuggets and Warriors, respectively. Dario Saric played in the 2021 finals, but was injured in game one. If you wanna break it down to that core group of Embiid, Simmons, Fultz, Robert Covington, Jahlil Okafor, Saric, Jerami Grant, Hollis Thompson, etc – T.J. is gonna have the most legit shot at winning a ring AND contributing with meaningful minutes.
It’s pretty cool. The guy always busted his ass for the Sixers and continues to do it into his 30s now.
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com