From Philly’s Process to the NBA Finals: T.J. McConnell’s Full-Circle Journey
So here we are, talking about a guy who once didn’t even have a locker at training camp — and now he’s about to play in the NBA Finals. T.J. McConnell. That name rings especially loud for Sixers fans who remember “The Process” years. Back then, McConnell was fighting just to stay on a roster. Now, he’s heading to the biggest stage in basketball, helping lead the Indiana Pacers to their first Finals appearance in 25 years.
T.J. McConnell’s NBA story is one of grit, perseverance, and loyalty — and it’s all come full circle. He started as a fifth-string point guard for the Sixers during those long, painful rebuilding seasons. No one expected him to make the team. He wasn’t a first-round pick. He wasn’t flashy. But what he did have was fight. And over time, Philly embraced him. He became a fan favorite because he outworked everyone else.
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After his time in Philly ended in 2019, it stung. McConnell admits it. He was upset when he left. But he took those early lessons — the struggle, the resilience — and brought them with him to Indiana. Now, in his 10th NBA season, he's averaging 8.4 points and 3.9 assists this postseason and playing key minutes for a Pacers team that just knocked out the Knicks to book their trip to the Finals.
And it’s not just McConnell — this Finals series is packed with Philly DNA. Lloyd Pierce, who was once an assistant coach with the Sixers during McConnell’s early days, is now on the Pacers’ staff. They’ve reunited in Indiana, and you can feel the emotional weight of that connection. After clinching their Finals berth, McConnell says the first thing he did was hug Pierce. “I started with him,” he said. “So it just feels right.”
Across both rosters, you’ve got guys with roots in Philly — Isaiah Joe now with the Thunder, Tony Bradley also with the Pacers, and even front-office figures like Vince Rozman and Michael Preston who spent years building their careers with the Sixers. It’s like a quiet reunion playing out on basketball’s biggest stage.
But McConnell is quick to keep things in perspective. He says he doesn’t dwell on accomplishments because that leads to complacency. He still sees himself as the guy who had to fight to prove he belonged. “I was on a nonguaranteed deal,” he recalled. “I was just trying to make it each year… just trying to prove that I belong.”
And you know what? He does. Every bit of this moment — the Finals, the recognition, the respect — he’s earned it. McConnell might not have finished his story in Philly, but he never forgot where it began. And as he now stands just four wins away from an NBA championship, it’s clear: “The Process” wasn’t just about the team. It was about the people like him who lived through it and came out better on the other side.
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