Pacers Guard T.J. McConnell Uses Chemistry To Break Norms. Can He Keep Doing It?

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 11: T.J. McConnell #9 of the Indiana Pacers dribbles during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 11, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

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INDIANAPOLIS — Look around the diamond as T.J. McConnell walks onto the mound at Victory Field to throw out the first pitch at an Indianapolis Indians game, and all you see is Pacers. The crowd is filled with fans wearing gear with McConnell printed on it. Nearby, several of McConnell’s Pacer teammates and staffers stand as they await his upcoming ceremonial toss.

The veteran point guard wasn’t expecting that many members of the organization to show up. “No, I didn’t,” he said. Teammates Quenton Jackson, Jarace Walker, Taelon Petern, and Kam Jones made an appearance. “But like I said, they’ll be sure to let me know if it’s not up to their liking, the way the pitch goes.”

While it was an August event, it revealed once again that McConnell has an undeniable connection with each of his teammates. He has been among the most consistent players on the Pacers roster and makes a bench group work on a team that prides itself on depth. His value to a contender is obvious, and he’s continued to fight off signs of aging with heightened IQ and unique shot attempts. As the Pacers transition into, then out of, a strange season without star guard Tyrese Haliburton, McConnell’s next few years are of increasing importance.

Can he continue to be one of the few lead ball handlers in the NBA without a consistent jump shot that is almost always a positive on the floor? Will his funky game fight off any indications of slowing down? As he moves up the point guard depth chart in his mid 30s, the answers to those questions will be important to the Pacers — he projects to backup Andrew Nembhard this season.

“I think he’s one of the most underrated players in the league,” former Pacer Malcolm Brogdon said of McConnell when they were teammates. “We’re lucky to have him.”

Watching the Pacers exist or being around them for more than 30 seconds will make it clear that McConnell is a terrific teammate. He is adored, and for good reason. He’s all about winning and takes accountability for his poor play — never deflecting blame. He gets his teammates involved and fights on defense. Playing with him is comfortable after just a few reps.

Being Haliburton’s backup is challenging. Keeping the Pacers identity alive without the star guard on the floor is not a role many reserves in the NBA can fill. McConnell can. His probing ways are unique, and his general hustle and hard play keep the team’s tempo present. He gets in the paint enough, and what he lacks in skill compared to Haliburton he attempts to make up for with natural chemistry with a talented bench unit.

“I feel like right away when I came here,” Pacers forward Obi Toppin said of how quickly he developed chemistry with McConnell. “Him being who he is, he knows he draws so much attention. Every time he gets to that basket, if there’s a wide open lane to cut or something, he’s gonna always find [me]. It’s not only for me, though, it’s for everybody. He’s always gonna find an open guy. Like I said, he knows how much attention he draws, and he’s not a selfish player.”

Why is T.J. McConnell important for the Pacers?

Indiana’s net rating with McConnell on the floor was -0.99 last season. Above zero would be better, and that’s slightly-below tidy for a veteran who usually plays while many of his best teammates rest. It’s also about a five-point drop from the season prior, though the Pacers went through many bench struggles and injuries last season that were not McConnell-related at all.

Indiana is paying McConnell like a contributor, rightly. He’s been great for them in a challenging role and makes life easier for many. As the team moves ahead after their NBA Finals run, his impact has to remain, if not grow, for the Pacers to keep going.

The team can’t survive both losing Haliburton for a year and a drop in effectiveness from McConnell. They have no reason to be afraid of McConnell slippage, though, he was tremendous in the NBA Finals and has a work ethic that will fend off father time for as long as possible.

In the playoffs, the veteran point guard averaged 9.5 points and 4.0 assists per game while shooting 53.7% from the field. Even with opposing teams locking in on his tendencies, McConnell wiggled into the lane for his signature eight-foot jumper with ease while keeping his teammates running and involved. He is still capable of reaching that level even after 10 seasons.

Maintaining that level gets harder and harder as the years go by. 44 players, including McConnell, played over 1,400 minutes last season while in their 30s. More than half (28) of that group was 32 or younger. McConnell turns 34 during the upcoming season — only 15 players that age or older played as much as McConnell last year.

And for the Pacers, McConnell’s potency will be important in two years, too. That’s when Haliburton returns and the team will be looking to be contenders again. Pending other transactions, they’ll need McConnell to continue his strong play.

Even if some signs of aging appear, he’s got the chemistry and work ethic to remain impactful. “That’s our team and our blue squad (bench group) in general. The comfortability, the togetherness, just the family aspect that we have,” Pacers forward Jarace Walker said of backup units. McConnell runs them.

“We like each other. We mess with each other on and off the court. I feel like that’s when basketball is the easiest is when you can get along with everybody off the court. You have that connectivity when we are on the court,” Toppin added of the veteran ball handler. That is important, and the team’s connectivity superpower won’t go away. Neither will McConnell’s work ethic — he’s been a hard worker ever since going undrafted and having to battle to make it into the NBA back in 2015.

McConnell had many personal ups and downs last season. He battled through them like a pro. He rarely gets injured and has a one-of-one play style — the only four players with a usage rate over 23% and a three-point attempt rate below 10% last season were Giannis Antetokounmpo, Zion Williamson, Alperen Sengun, and McConnell. That’s three All-Star level frontcourt talents and a just-over six-foot tall point guard. Nobody plays like T.J. McConnell.

That works to his advantage as a veteran. His obvious chemistry, on and off the court, with each of his teammates is significant. And that all needs to remain during the upcoming seasons for the Pacers. It will help McConnell keep himself on the floor as an impactful player, even in a season that will feel different for the Pacers.

“My summer’s been over for a couple weeks. Short summer for sure,” McConnell said of his offseason on Wednesday. The Pacers deep playoff run made it an abbreviated offseason for everyone. For McConnell, it’s the lead in for an important 2025-26 campaign.