‘I make it miserable for them’: TJ McConnell and the art of the NBA pest

TJ McConnell, a 6ft 1in backup point guard for the Indiana Pacers, welcomes the pressure.

“Where I’m from,” McConnell tells the Guardian ahead of his team’s late December matchup (and eventual win) against the Boston Celtics, “the NBA isn’t a possibility for most guys. It’s been a crazy ride.”

The 30-year-old Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-born hooper, who is playing in the NBA for his eighth season, came into the league undrafted and unheralded. McConnell joined the Philadelphia 76ers before the 2015 season after impressing in summer league and has been a mainstay in the pros ever since. He’s played for the Pacers since 2019. But while his career averages of 6.8 points and 5.0 steals per game are solid, especially for someone who usually comes off the bench, what really stands out is McConnell’s ability to disrupt a game at any moment. During his tenure in the NBA, he has come to be known as one of the best in-game thieves in the league, especially when defending an inbounds play in the backcourt. Truly, he’s picked off a pass or stripped the ball from an opposing player so many times, he’s lost count. In other words, McConnell, who has more than 650 career steals, has mastered the art of being a pest.