Former 76ers Involved in 2025 NBA Finals Between Pacers-Thunder

Which former Philadelphia 76ers are competing in the NBA Finals?

Mar 31, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) dribbles the ball while Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) defends in the first quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Another year goes by, and the Philadelphia 76ers are at home watching the NBA Finals play out.

This season, the Sixers have been out of contention for a while. Before the NBA Play-In Tournament took place in April, the Sixers were eliminated from the postseason, and battling for a top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Considering the Sixers hoped to contend for an NBA Championship in 2025, the fact that they couldn’t make the playoffs was disappointing. Fortunately, the Sixers managed to keep their first-round pick, preventing the Western Conference Finals Champions from gaining a top 10 selection.

With the third-overall pick in this month’s draft in their possession, the Sixers will get a chance to watch some of their former players take part in the NBA Finals this month. As Game 1 approaches on Thursday night, here are a few former Sixers to keep an eye on:

Indiana Pacers

TJ McConnell

Philly fan favorite doesn’t even cover it. McConnell had the perfect story in the City of Brotherly Love, going from an undrafted, undersized guard in 2015 to carving out a steady role on a competitive team. Not only did McConnell hustle every second he was on the floor, but he also embraced his role as a supporting cast member on a team full of budding young stars.

Dec 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) shoots past Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond (5) during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

After four seasons with the Sixers, McConnell hit the free agency market to sign with the Pacers. What started out as a two-year, $7 million deal turned into a four-year, $35 million increase. Now, McConnell is playing a key role on a team that could be crowned NBA Champions with four wins. You can bet Philly would celebrate it.

Tony Bradley

The Tony Bradley tenure in Philadelphia didn’t last long. During the post-bubble season, Bradley joined the Sixers as the returning piece in a Zhaire Smith trade. While he did have an impressive stretch, which included eight starts in 20 appearances, Bradley was out the door the moment his stock hit a certain high.

The Sixers used Bradley at the 2021 trade deadline to acquire George Hill from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Since then, Bradley has played for the Chicago Bulls and now the Pacers.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Isaiah Joe

One of a handful of Daryl Morey’s draft picks, you can consider Isaiah Joe one that got away. Before Morey tweaked his strategy of prioritizing younger role players over seasoned veterans, Joe found himself in a position where he was cut before the 2022-2023 NBA season.

The Thunder took a chance on him and haven’t regretted it since. In three seasons, Joe has knocked down threes at a 41 percent clip, averaging nine points per game. With the Sixers, Joe struggled to see the floor beyond the preseason. Since joining the Thunder, he’s averaged 13 minutes off the bench in 26 playoff games.