Trae Young Praises Former Sixers Guard Amid Playoff Success

While the Philadelphia 76ers are no longer in the postseason, a handful of former players are still hanging around on other teams. One longtime fan favorite got a shoutout from an All-Star for his play in the playoffs thus far.

Among the former Sixers on a playoff roster right now is veteran guard T.J. McConnell. Despite playing minimal minutes in the regular season, he has become a key player for the Indiana Pacers in the postseason.

After taking down the Milwaukee Bucks in round one, the Pacers advanced to the conference semifinals. They had a hard fought series with the New York Knicks that ended up going seven games. The final matchup was played on Sunday, with Indiana winning to punch their ticket for the conference finals.

In Game 7 on Sunday, McConnell notched 12 points and seven assists in 24 minutes off the bench. This caught the eye of Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young, who took to social media to praise Pacers vet.

Nobody can tell me T.J. McConnell don’t have game😏
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) May 19, 2024

This was one of many impressive outings from McConnell in the playoffs. His top performance thus far came in the closeout game against the Bucks. McConnell posted 20 points and nine assists in just 23 minutes off the bench in that Game 6 matchup.

While he isn't known for his scoring, McConnell has provided an offensive punch for Indiana. In the series against the Knicks, he broke double digits in five of the seven games.

Before landing with the Pacers, McConnell got his first opportunity in the NBA with the Sixers. He spent four years in Philly, where he was adored by fans for his grit and tenacity on the basketball court. McConnell left the Sixers for the Pacers in 2020, and has been with them ever since.