Philadelphia 76er to have Collier court named for him
TJ McConnell, who helped Chartiers Valley win a WPIAL title and a PIAA runner-up trophy in 2010, returns home June 18 to have a basketball court in Collier Park named after himself. McConnell currently plays for the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA.
Philadelphia 76ers guard and former Chartiers Valley standout TJ McConnell will be honored June 18 at Collier Park. The township will name a basketball court in his honor.
Few millenials are already recognized in athletic halls of fame. Fewer still have public places named after them.
Within a week’s span, TJ McConnell, 24, will have achieved those feats.
“No, it hasn’t sunk in yet,” he said. “It’s an awesome feeling, and I’m truly appreciative of both honors.”
The first recognition occurred June 10, when the Chartiers Valley High School graduate was inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame during a sold-out banquet at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Green Tree.
The second distinction comes June 18, when the rookie sensation for the Philadelphia 76ers will make an appearance during a dedication ceremony at Collier Park. The basketball court there will be dubbed TJ’s Court in his honor. Events begin at 2 p.m. Ribbon-cutting and an autograph session will be held at 4. Gabby Barrett will provide entertainment.
“It’s nice to come back home,” McConnell acknowledged. “To be recognized in a community where I grew up is truly an honor.”
Honors become McConnell. His career started courtside as a ball boy for his father and namesake, Tim, who has won more than 500 games as Chartiers Valley’s basketball coach. More than 100 of those victories can be attributed to the younger McConnell, who ranks first in school history and fifth in the WPIAL for scoring with 2,404 career points.
While 1,000 points is a career milestone for most, McConnell racked up that many markers and then some (1,062) during his senior season alone. He averaged 34 points per game that year, which ranks second in the WPIAL in 30 years. McConnell also ranks second in the district with 334 career three-point field goals.
McConnell, who led the Colts to a WPIAL title and a PIAA runner-up finish in 2010, is only the second athlete to be inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
“It’s truly an honor to be inducted,” McConnell said. “It’s an honor to be named with great players in the WPIAL. I have great memories of playing in the WPIAL and I have had great success in this league.”
Success follows McConnell. Despite the naysayers, he excelled at the Division I level and is now a professional in the NBA. Outside of his family and close friends – including his longtime girlfriend, Valerie Guiliani – McConnell concurred he had “a lot of doubters.”
“A lot of people said I couldn’t do this. I said, OK, I’m going to work hard and prove them wrong. When I’m told I can’t do something,” he continued, “that brings out the best in me. That motivates me even more. I want to prove them wrong.”
McConnell established himself first at the NCAA Divison I level. The 6-2, 200-pound guard started his collegiate career at Duquesne University, where he averaged 11.4 points, 5.7 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 2.2 steals. He transferred to Arizona and played two seasons for the Wildcats, averaging 10.4 points, 6.3 assists, 2.2 steals and 3.8 rebounds his senior year. The Wildcats competed in the NCAA tournament, reaching the Elite Eight in 2014. McConnell was named to the All-PAC-12 first team.
Undrafted in 2015, McConnell played in the NBA Summer League with the Philadelphia 76ers, who signed him in September. When he was told he had made the roster, McConnell said that the feeling was so overwhelming.
“Words cannot even describe it,” he said. “I literally almost passed out. It emotionally overwhelmed me. It was incredible.”
During his rookie season in the NBA, he started several games, averaging 6.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game for Philadelphia. McConnell demonstrated he not only belonged in the NBA but showed he could play with the best. He ranked second among rookies with 367 assists and first with 95 steals. He also became just the fourth player in 76ers history to pull down 250 rebounds, dish up 350 assists and have 95 steals in his debut year.
“Absolutely,” he said, “I was pleased with the year that I had but not necessarily with the record (10-72) we had. I owe a lot (of my success) to my coaches and the players. My teammates helped me keep my confidence up and that helped throughout the season. The experiences I have had have helped me mature and learn. They will definitely help me in the future.”
McConnell acknowledges his first NBA season featured many memories but pinpointed a jump ball between himself and Kobe Bryant as one highlight. Of the encounter with the Los Angeles Lakers’ rexently retired superstar, McConnell said:
“It’s unavoidable to think about. Here is a guy that I’ve watched all my life, and now I’m playing against him. I was in shock. He just said to me, ‘Keep working hard, kid.'”
That’s solid advice others have offered McConnell, who plans for a long career in the NBA.
“My coaches and other teammates have said to me so many things that have helped me, but there are no secrets,” he said. “They told me to be the hardest-working guy on the team and be the nicest, too. If you are nice to people that will take you a long way,” McConnell added. “Hopefully, people think I am a nice guy.”
In between Pittsburgh appearances, McConnell is working on his sophomore season in the NBA. Team drills have already started, and McConsaid he is constantly picking up new things. But it may take another year or two to get over the awe of competing in a league about which he fantasized joining as a youth.
“I hide it as best I can,” he said. “But it’s hard not to be starstruck when you have grown up watching them play. It’s tough, but you have to play against them.”
In a decade or so, if all goes according to plan, McConnell may be that retired superstar awaiting induction into another Hall of Fame as Bryant is today.
“There is still a lot to accomplish at least for me,” said McConnell, who would like to eventually get into coaching at the collegiate or professional level. “I want to play at least 10 years in the NBA or for as long as I can.
“The NBA was a goal of mine since I was a little kid. And yes,” he continued, “every player’s dream is to be in the NBA Hall of Fame. I’d love to be there. If not, I hope they look at me as someone who worked hard and was a great guy and teammate.”