Celebrating T.J. McConnell's NBA career

T.J. McConnell is in his 10th season in the NBA, which is something you already know and also one of the most unlikely combinations of words I have ever typed.

T.J. McConnell is in his 10th season in the NBA.

That’s wild, and that is what the Arizona Wildcats, with their narrow criteria for inclusion into the McKale Center Ring of Honor, are celebrating Wednesday night when McConnell will be in the building for his official induction.

“It’ll be a special time,” McConnell said about the ceremony, which will take place before Arizona’s game against Samford.

“I wouldn’t be where I’m at today without that place and all the coaches, teammates … staff that was there. I’m just very thankful for that, and especially the fans. They still show a lot of love. And I’m very grateful for that place.”

The former Wildcats point guard, doubted by nearly everyone at every turn – as a high school recruit, as a transfer from Duquesne, as an NBA prospect — is carrying what’s left of the flame of Arizona’s 1990s’ reputation as Point Guard U.

In the past 25 years – basically since Jason Terry had his stellar 1999 season with the Wildcats – there have been 16 primary point guards at Arizona.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without that place. To all the coaches, teammates, staff- I’m just very thankful for. Especially the fans.”

T.J. McConnell on his @ArizonaMBB Ring of Honor ceremony happening in Tucson tomorrow 💙 pic.twitter.com/zwXVBZGZNk

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) December 17, 2024

McConnell has played more NBA games than any of them. Has played more minutes, drained more field goals, dished out more assists, made more steals.

In fact, the only reason it’s close is because Jerryd Bayless played across 11 seasons in the NBA. Here is the full list of primary Wildcats point guards since Terry, with NBA games played in parentheses:

• Jason Gardner
• Mustafa Shakur (25)
• Jerryd Bayless (586)
• Nic Wise
• MoMo Jones
• Josiah Turner
• Mark Lyons
• T.J. McConnell (653)
• Kadeem Allen (47)
• Parker Jackson-Cartwright
• Justin Coleman
• Nico Mannion
• James Akinjo
• Kerr Kriisa (TBD)
• Kylan Boswell (TBD)
• Jaden Bradley (TBD)

McConnell is the only one who wasn’t a four- or five-star recruit.

It’s wild that McConnell has more NBA career blocks and rebounds than one of the other greats of the Sean Miller era – big man Derrick Williams, the No. 2 pick in the 2011 NBA draft.

McConnell identifies his superpower

You might have listened to McConnell’s appearance on Miller’s podcast back in October – it’s really worth a listen wherever you listen to your podcast – where McConnell explained his success by saying:

“My motor is my superpower,” McConnell said. “So I’m going to run every single day and stay in elite shape, because I know that’s what separates me from a lot of players.”

He’s made a name for himself, carving out roles first with the Sixers and now the Indiana Pacers, and made a lot of money by being a defensive pest who can pick up mid-court and jump in passing lanes, by being a crafty scorer in the mid-range range off the dribble and by being a pick-his-moments 3-point shooter.

“I’m not a guy that’s going to come off and shoot six or eight 3s a game. But when I’m open on catch-and-shoot 3s and in some unders, I’m going to shoot those,” he said.

“So that’s what I do when I’m home. I’ll do ball handling, I’ll lift every day, but for the most part, I’ll shoot the spot-up threes. And I’m regimented for how many I make. I’m making 20 a spot, you know, for an hour. And just go and keep going.

“But to me, I would be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t keep my motor and myself in elite shape, because I think that’s what separates me from others.”

McConnell earned $44,852,881 in NBA salary before this season and just started a four-year deal this season, in which $26.2 millions is guaranteed but could be worth up to $44.8 million.

There have been 24 Wildcats under Sean Miller who have played in the NBA, with their total earnings before this season totaling more than $666 million. Thanks to massive contracts for Aaron Gordon, Lauri Markkanen and more, there is another $427 million guaranteed to Miller’s Wildcats. (FIND THE FULL LIST OF EX-CATS UNDER MILLER, INCLUDING SALARIES AND NBA STATS HEADING INTO THIS SEASON)    

By the way, Lute Olson’s players made $1,156,252,689 in NBA salaries.

#ArizonaWildcats fans, start your screensavers. Great shot by our Mamta Popat. pic.twitter.com/tfTqD52jId

— Ryan Finley (@ryan_finley) March 8, 2015

So, welcome back to McKale, T.J. McConnell.

I’m sure he would rate high on anybody’s list of favorite Wildcats in the past quarter century. As far as his last playing appearance at McKale in his two-year Arizona career, in March 2015, his kissing the “A” as he left the game was one of the top snapshots of the Miller era, right up there, for me, with Williams’ walk-off block against Washington, Williams soaring down the lane to dunk on Duke in the NCAA Tournament, and Kevin Parrom’s “No Easy Buckets” play against ASU.

“Everything that I’ve accomplished in my career I’ve had to scratch and claw and earn, and this is no different,” McConnell said of the Ring of Honor. “Worked very hard to get to this point and again just very grateful to Arizona for doing this.”

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Top photo: Arizona Wildcats guard T.J. McConnell cuts down the net after Arizona won the 2015 Pac-12 regular-season title. (Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports)