Phildelphia 76ers TJ McConnell Plays With The Eye Of The Tiger
By Bret Stuter
The Duke Became A Wildcat
And so the story has gone for Timothy John McConnell, better known as T.J. McConnell, an un-drafted point guard from the University of Arizona. McConnell is familiar with challenges. Playing high scholl basketball in the city of Pittsburgh is a challenge, but it helped out that he played for his father, Tim McConnell. His father is is one of the most successful coaches in Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) history. Basketball is in his genes, as his aunt is Suzie McConnell-Serio, an all american at Penn Statue University, Olympic gold medalist, and earned her place in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
As team captain his senior year, he averaged 34.2 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per game, and 9.1 assists per game. A talented player, he remained in Pittsburgh to begin his collegiate basketball career with the Duquesne Dukes.
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After two seasons, he transferred to the University of Arizona, where he was forced to sit out a year. When he did arrive on the basketball court, he helped Arizona Wildcats to a 21-0 record to start the season before teammate Brandon Ashley injured his foot and was sidelined for the rest of the season. The season resulted in an Elite 8 appearance for the Wildcats. As a senior, he was voted first-team All-Pac-12 and named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team.
But despite the immediate flash to brilliance, his luminescence faded when he went undrafted in the 2015 NBA draft.
Next: Path Less Chosen