T.J. McConnell Deserves A Philadelphia 76er Role
By Bret Stuter
Mentored
The team was ill-prepared to allow an undrafted rookie to jump out to be the lead dog of the franchise. Even players with huge pedigrees are given a mentor, a veteran point guard to play behind and learn the psychological aspects of the NBA game by watching, asking, listening, and then executing.
No such mentor existed for McConnell, until the Philadelphia 76ers determined that former point guard Ish Smith was needed and traded two second round picks to the New Orleans Pelicans for his services.
Before Smith arrived, McConnell had plenty of minutes on the court, averaging nearly 26 minutes per game, but only translated that playing time into assists and not points: averaging six assists per game and seven points per game.
After Ish Smith arrived, the minutes dropped significantly, averaging about 17 minutes per game, but the assists dropped to four assists per game while the points held steady at six points per game. But it was McConnell’s feisty attitude that turned what many could have viewed as a demotion into an opportunity to improve. It is the same attitude that you find in the bleachers of any Sixers game, the “never say quit, we want to earn it” mantra that resonates in blue collar reality.
Eventually, the lessons of “shoot it if you can” began to take hold.
The confidence was tangent in the young man in his first season. After several years, he will truly be able to command the team whether at the starting spot or in a key reserve role. Don’t take my word for it, simply read the reactions of the NBA experts
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