TJ McConnell is an NBA point guard who currently plays for the Philadelphia 76ers. He played college basketball for the Duquesne Dukes and the Arizona Wildcats. McConnell first joined the Sixers in 2015 when their rebuilding (tanking) process was in full swing. At a below NBA average height of 6’2 and 188 lbs, TJ was supposed to be just another piece in Philadelphia’s grand plan to intentionally lose games. The undrafted kid from Pittsburgh, PA turned out to be much more and is now a substantial part of the Sixer’s success.
TJ McConnell Net Worth As Of 2018: $1 Million
As part of his contract, McConnell is projected to make just shy of $1.5 million this year, and $1.6 million next. If he keeps up his fiery and effective style of play, at the end of the 2018-19 season TJ’s gonna get paid. And hopefully, for Philly fans, he’ll continue to light up Wells Fargo Center for years to come.
Early Years
McConnell, 26, was born in Pittsburgh, PA and attended Chartiers Valley High School in the Pittsburgh-area borough of Bridgeville, Pennsylvania. At Chartiers, he played for his father, Tim, who was the head basketball coach for the school. In his senior year, TJ was the team captain and averaged 34.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game. That year he earned first-team all-state honors, was named the Associated Press’s Pennsylvania Class 3A Player of the Year, and also named the male athlete of the year for all sports by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He led the Colts to a 29-2 record and a berth in the state championship game.
2010-2015
He started his college career at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh where he played for two years. He then transferred to Arizona, citing the reason for his move because of a desire to compete for a National Championship. In his junior year, McConnell helped lead the Wildcats to a 21-0 record to start the season. In that year’s March Madness tournament, the Wildcats made it to the Elite Eight before being eliminated. As a senior, McConnell was voted first-team All-Pac-12 and named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. He also helped lead Arizona to another appearance in the Elite Eight.
2015-2016
TJ went undrafted in the 2015 NBA draft but was ultimately picked up by the Philadelphia 76ers. At the time, Philly was well into their “process” of intentionally losing games for favorable draft picks. After a productive showing in the 76er’s summer league, McConnell earned himself a spot on Philadelphia’s roster for the upcoming season. Throughout his rookie year, he showed spurts of effectiveness with his high motor, spark plug style of offense and defense. At the season’s end, he received two votes in the 2016 NBA All-Rookie Team voting.
2016-Present
Over the next two seasons, McConnell would solidify his right to not only play for the 76ers but in the NBA. He’s proved to the league that he’s a reliable pest on the defensive end, and as a point guard, he’s good game manager and very capable of getting to the rim. In 2017-18, Philadelphia went from a 10 win team just two years prior, to a team that finished third in the Eastern Conference and won 52 games. Despite Philly moving on from their tanking days, McConnell was still a contributor. In his third season with the team, TJ had a career-high 18-point game and became the first player in franchise history to record a triple-double off the bench.