TJ. McConnell is really good
- Thread starter mo cheeks
- Start date
He's defended Russell really well today. I thought TJ would struggle, but he's outplayed a future top-3 pick.
Re: Who ever said this? ....
Well two years ago I said James was better. Moral of the story is I'm an idiot.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Well two years ago I said James was better. Moral of the story is I'm an idiot.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
We will tell this story again ...
... TJ committed to Duquesne as a sophomore when he was 5'6 - 5'7" tall and weighed about 140. There was very little recruiting interest in TJ as a sophomore.
But he continued to grow and by the time he got to Duquesne, he had become a shade over 6 feet tall. He was pretty good at Duquesne and after his sophomore year, he decided he wanted to give it a go at some higher competition.
He was interested in Pitt and actually told some people privately that he would transfer to Pitt. The problem was that he never really ever discussed this with anyone at Pitt. The other problem was that we had a Top 60 point guard coming in, and there's also sort of a gentlemen's respect between Pitt and Duquesne, where we won't take players from each other, and generally speaking, Duquesne would not have likely released him to Pitt.
Regardless, TJ connected with Sean Miller were there was a very good fit (Arizona would not have a point guard when TJ would become eligible to play.)
This post was edited on 3/21 7:54 PM by DT_PITT
... TJ committed to Duquesne as a sophomore when he was 5'6 - 5'7" tall and weighed about 140. There was very little recruiting interest in TJ as a sophomore.
But he continued to grow and by the time he got to Duquesne, he had become a shade over 6 feet tall. He was pretty good at Duquesne and after his sophomore year, he decided he wanted to give it a go at some higher competition.
He was interested in Pitt and actually told some people privately that he would transfer to Pitt. The problem was that he never really ever discussed this with anyone at Pitt. The other problem was that we had a Top 60 point guard coming in, and there's also sort of a gentlemen's respect between Pitt and Duquesne, where we won't take players from each other, and generally speaking, Duquesne would not have likely released him to Pitt.
Regardless, TJ connected with Sean Miller were there was a very good fit (Arizona would not have a point guard when TJ would become eligible to play.)
This post was edited on 3/21 7:54 PM by DT_PITT
Re: Just look at the supporting cast these two youngmen are working with!
I'll plainly say that I don't like TJ McConnell because I think he is a world class, first class cocky punk on the basketball court.
Having said this, he really is quite good at Arizona. He makes every right play for his team and facilitates that team perfectly. I suspect TJ has NBA dreams and it should be interesting to see how close he will get to them. His only weakness is that he's still not much of a shooter from deep, and his release is still so far out in front of his body that he wouldn't get many shots off at the next level.
I'll plainly say that I don't like TJ McConnell because I think he is a world class, first class cocky punk on the basketball court.
Having said this, he really is quite good at Arizona. He makes every right play for his team and facilitates that team perfectly. I suspect TJ has NBA dreams and it should be interesting to see how close he will get to them. His only weakness is that he's still not much of a shooter from deep, and his release is still so far out in front of his body that he wouldn't get many shots off at the next level.
I don't know how ...
... formal it is, of if it really exists.
But Jamie works with the coaching staffs of Duquesne and Robert Morris for the summer league and "local basketball." What I was told was that Jamie would not ever take players from Duquesne, but I don't know how true or not true that is.
... formal it is, of if it really exists.
But Jamie works with the coaching staffs of Duquesne and Robert Morris for the summer league and "local basketball." What I was told was that Jamie would not ever take players from Duquesne, but I don't know how true or not true that is.
Re: Just look at the supporting cast these two youngmen are working with!
We are on their schedule...
So, they don't want to allow leaving players to beat them.
No complicated.
We are on their schedule...
So, they don't want to allow leaving players to beat them.
No complicated.
Re: Just look at the supporting cast these two youngmen are working with!
Hmm...Very surprised/ disappointed you seemed to have let your emotions get the best of you..I mean- using words like cocky and punk to describe TJ is very, well not the DT I've read all these years!! For me,being somewhat a punk/cocky "Who can back it up" and not only walk the walk and talk the talk Ill take as many players with that pedigree and WIN!!! Those guys of his ilk ARE STILL PLAYING!!!!. Htp/Forever!!!
Hmm...Very surprised/ disappointed you seemed to have let your emotions get the best of you..I mean- using words like cocky and punk to describe TJ is very, well not the DT I've read all these years!! For me,being somewhat a punk/cocky "Who can back it up" and not only walk the walk and talk the talk Ill take as many players with that pedigree and WIN!!! Those guys of his ilk ARE STILL PLAYING!!!!. Htp/Forever!!!
The problem is....
exactly what we saw with the Sheldon Jeter transfer. If we tell Duquesne to F-off and McConnell says he wants to go to Pitt then Duquesne simply does not release him to transfer to Pitt. Now that can't stop him from getting here eventually if he still wants to, but at that point McConnell would basically have three choices. He could transfer to Pitt anyway, which means that not only would he have to sit out a year but he would also have to pay his own way here for that year. He could take the Sheldon Jeter route, either go to some juco and and not play or sit at home doing nothing for a whole year (how many players other than Jeter have done something like that?), or he could transfer someplace else where Duquesne would release him to so he wouldn't have to pay for the year that he had to sit out.
There are very, very few players who when they are confronted with those options, and players are confronted with them every single year, who chose to transfer to the school that they are being "blocked" from anyway. Most kids just go somewhere else. So saying F-off to Duquesne normally isn't going to work anyway.
exactly what we saw with the Sheldon Jeter transfer. If we tell Duquesne to F-off and McConnell says he wants to go to Pitt then Duquesne simply does not release him to transfer to Pitt. Now that can't stop him from getting here eventually if he still wants to, but at that point McConnell would basically have three choices. He could transfer to Pitt anyway, which means that not only would he have to sit out a year but he would also have to pay his own way here for that year. He could take the Sheldon Jeter route, either go to some juco and and not play or sit at home doing nothing for a whole year (how many players other than Jeter have done something like that?), or he could transfer someplace else where Duquesne would release him to so he wouldn't have to pay for the year that he had to sit out.
There are very, very few players who when they are confronted with those options, and players are confronted with them every single year, who chose to transfer to the school that they are being "blocked" from anyway. Most kids just go somewhere else. So saying F-off to Duquesne normally isn't going to work anyway.
I've used those words about TJ before ...
... as I got to watch him play very up close and personal during the games in the summer. He was extremely cocky when he played up there, or the times when I talked to him. I'll just leave it at that.
But yes, he has certainly backed it up and has walked all the talk in all ways at Arizona.
... as I got to watch him play very up close and personal during the games in the summer. He was extremely cocky when he played up there, or the times when I talked to him. I'll just leave it at that.
But yes, he has certainly backed it up and has walked all the talk in all ways at Arizona.
Re: Just look at the supporting cast these two youngmen are working with!
Dude you cheered for Levance and Carl.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Dude you cheered for Levance and Carl.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
TJ wasn't even that well liked at Duquesne as their star player. DT hit on 2 of the 3 most common adjectives used by students to describe him there.
And I'd be cheering for ...
... TJ if he was on my team, no doubt.
Carl is cocky, but he's a really good guy, very friendly and classy with fans. I got to know him a bit at the 2004 BET championship as his room at the Hilton in NYC was right across from ours.
Levance, not so much.
This post was edited on 3/21 9:01 PM by DT_PITT
... TJ if he was on my team, no doubt.
Carl is cocky, but he's a really good guy, very friendly and classy with fans. I got to know him a bit at the 2004 BET championship as his room at the Hilton in NYC was right across from ours.
Levance, not so much.
This post was edited on 3/21 9:01 PM by DT_PITT
Re: Just look at the supporting cast these two youngmen are working with!
This is the great paradox of sports isn't it ... the winners are typically unsavory characters you'd typically root against in life. Most especially, the coaches.
I never met levance but I heard he was a d*&k. I have met carl several times, bought him and brandin a drink at peters after his junior year and he talked to me for an hour. Got seated next to him in an airplane and he talked to him the whole time.
Also, was great with my kids. Class act. Program needs to invovlve him more.
Also, was great with my kids. Class act. Program needs to invovlve him more.
Re: I've used those words about TJ before ...
Hard to say.
I'd root for him, I know that for sure.
I've gotten to know most of the Pitt players pretty well working at the Pro-Am. Some are not quite so friendly.
Levance has been mentioned. He could not ever be bothered to speak to me in the least but I certainly loved watching Levance play!
Hard to say.
I'd root for him, I know that for sure.
I've gotten to know most of the Pitt players pretty well working at the Pro-Am. Some are not quite so friendly.
Levance has been mentioned. He could not ever be bothered to speak to me in the least but I certainly loved watching Levance play!
Noelr, I'm talking on court only. I drank with Carl at pitt and liked him but he was cocky as hell on the court and also we can't forget his legal troubles.
Tj is probably cocky too. Who cares? I'd rather my players be cocky as hell. And coming from Duquesne, and being upper middle class, and his race only add to the chip on TJ's shoulder.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Tj is probably cocky too. Who cares? I'd rather my players be cocky as hell. And coming from Duquesne, and being upper middle class, and his race only add to the chip on TJ's shoulder.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
the funniest was when he was in the zoo during a game and the announcers were too dumb to point out who he was.
I remember in 2005/6 I bought him and brandin a gin and juice at peters and begged carl to stay. they ended up at my table. brandin said yuri was better than all of them in practice but his confidence crumbled if the missed one shot during a game. said yuri schooled everyone and nailed them from 40. Also, said yuri gf was pyscho. brandin and carl talked to me all night like I was on the team although I was a no name fan. indelible memory, maybe best pitt memory ever.
then fast forward ten years later when I had my two kids at the Oakland game and I asked for a pic and he said "hey baby!" For a second I though I made such an impression on him a decade earlier and then got ahold of myself.
I remember in 2005/6 I bought him and brandin a gin and juice at peters and begged carl to stay. they ended up at my table. brandin said yuri was better than all of them in practice but his confidence crumbled if the missed one shot during a game. said yuri schooled everyone and nailed them from 40. Also, said yuri gf was pyscho. brandin and carl talked to me all night like I was on the team although I was a no name fan. indelible memory, maybe best pitt memory ever.
then fast forward ten years later when I had my two kids at the Oakland game and I asked for a pic and he said "hey baby!" For a second I though I made such an impression on him a decade earlier and then got ahold of myself.
Re: Carl is still a great dude ...
listen I like Carl too but you guys are like:
Carl, multiple arrests but friendly to us = great guy.
TJ, kinda cocky = terrible guy
Posted from Rivals Mobile
listen I like Carl too but you guys are like:
Carl, multiple arrests but friendly to us = great guy.
TJ, kinda cocky = terrible guy
Posted from Rivals Mobile
