Spunky Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell's message to high school players everywhere: 'Playing hard is a skill'

Overachieving, undrafted sparkplug has made a 10-year NBA career by picking up fullcourt, playing to exhaustion and making the right play

May 13, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) saves the ball from going out of bounds during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers of game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

TJ McConnell has a message and all high school kids, with limited abilities or elite skills, should probably listen. 

McConnell isn’t at the forefront of the NBA’s viral circle, but considering his Indiana Pacers are one of the last four teams standing in the 2024-25 season, coming off a shocking comeback overtime win (138-135 in Eastern Conference finals over the Knicks), in perhaps the sport’s most famous arena, his voice has never been stronger. He and the Pacers visit Maidson Square Garden again Friday for Game 2 of the series.

A message from the undersized 6-foot-1, 190-pound 10th-year guard has never resonated so loudly. 

“I genuinely believe that playing hard is a skill,” he said in a podcast with Athletes Untapped, a website for private sports coaches. 

McConnell certainly wasn’t un-noticed as a prep — who could ignore 34.2 points, 9.1 assists and 8.2 rebounds per game at Chartiers Valley High School near Pittsburgh (Pa.)? — but at then 5-8, 165 he wasn’t highly recruited either (247Sports ranked him 349th among the Class of 2010). 

He was signed first at Duquesne, then transferred to Arizona, eventually earning honorable mention AP All-American honors in 2015. He went undrafted but eventually caught on with the Philadelphia 76ers for four seasons before the last six with the Pacers. 

NBA Guard TJ McConnell discusses great advice for athletes that want to play at the highest level.

Posted by Athletes Untapped on Friday, May 16, 2025

A career 7.6 points-per-game, off-the-bench sparkplug, he’s made a name for himself — no bigger than now — with his pesky fullcourt defense, a reliable three-point shooting stroke and superb playmaking prowess. 

But make no mistake about it, he says, it’s all about sheer, unadulterated effort, demanded at the start of his career by a private coach, Chris Babcock. 

“When I came in (to the NBA), (Babcock) said ‘you got to stand out. No one picks up fullcourt. And you need to make that your calling card.’ “ 

McConnell recalls getting into the gym three times a day to get into ‘elite shape,’ so he could hang his hat on picking up NBA guards fullcourt. It’s become his complete identity, he said. 

“If you play really hard and make life hell for the other team, the offense and other (stuff) will fall into place," he said. "But if you’re going and playing to exhaustion, every time you’re out there, it gives you a chance to make a roster and get more minutes.

“I feel like i’ve made a 10-year career simply by outplaying people.” 

Heading into Friday’s Game 2 matchup at New York, McConnell has scored in double figures three of the last four playoff games with 35 points in 53 minutes with 12 rebounds, 17 assists while shooting 13 of 27 from the field.