I remember when people on this board said TJ McConnell wasn't a Big East player because "who would he guard?" Basically the thought was a 6'0" white guy couldn't possibly play high level college basketball. He has now had a 10 year NBA career, has the NBA record for steals in a half and the second most steals in a game, and will likely be playing in the Eastern conference finals in a week. He is the best player from the Pittsburgh area born in the last 40 years and we chose to not recruit him.
TJ McConnell
- Thread starter S.R.M.
- Start date
He was very good at first sighting at Greentree back in the day. But, who could have predicted a 10 year NBA career.
Yea, you could tell in that 1st Green Tree game vs Gibbs, that he was going to be really good but no one would have said NBA.
Wasn't this the McConnell timeline:
He was 5'9" 160 and zero stars on Rivals as a senior.
Offered by Duquesne and some even called it a charity offer due to his aunt's history at the school.
Started growing.
Started growing some more at Duquesne to where he became good enough to transfer to a bigger school.
Wanted to transfer to Pitt but was rightfully blocked, as were WVU, PSU and Ohio State.
The rest is history.
He was 5'9" 160 and zero stars on Rivals as a senior.
Offered by Duquesne and some even called it a charity offer due to his aunt's history at the school.
Started growing.
Started growing some more at Duquesne to where he became good enough to transfer to a bigger school.
Wanted to transfer to Pitt but was rightfully blocked, as were WVU, PSU and Ohio State.
The rest is history.
But such a story with facts makes trolling less fun.
Bumping this because ABC has been featuring TJ and Tim the past few minutes, talking about his successful WPIAL coaching career… pretty cool!
my buddy was coaching the one game at greentree where he was playing and guarding Gibbs. Think he was either just coming out of high school or a freshman at Duquesne. he told me he was going to be really good player, i said he'll never be a fraction of the player Ashton is..
Yeah, not a great call by me..
In a perfect Pitt world, our 2013-14 lineup would have been:
PG - McConnell
SG - DeAndre Kane
SF - Lamar Patterson
PF - Talib Zanna
C - Khem Birch
Any other university this would have come together so easily. For us, the odds would be 1 and a billion.
PG - McConnell
SG - DeAndre Kane
SF - Lamar Patterson
PF - Talib Zanna
C - Khem Birch
Any other university this would have come together so easily. For us, the odds would be 1 and a billion.
I wouldn't have predicted NBA then but in that 1st game vs Gibbs, I knew McConnell was going to be really good. I dont blame Jamie for not offering a 5'5 sophomore. But I do think he should have tried to flip him later in his career.
Also in a perfect world, Steven Adams would have come back for 1 more year.
He had every intention to but he didn't like Dixon and wasnt coming back to Pitt so he decided to enter the draft
after his last game in a pitt uniform, Steven Adams didnt even come back to the campus and his room to get his clothes. Imagine how much you have to despise your school to not even come back and get your clothes..
he wasnt coming back for another year with jamie dixon as coach.
He does have a great feel for the game. Knows what he is capable of against NBA competition versus what he is not capable of, and thus doesn't try to do too much. I'd love to know where one can learn that ... film study? Is it just in the McConnell family DNA? I doubt it came from growing up playing WPIAL high school basketball, I cannot imagine the competition in the WPIAL prepares you well for the types of defenders you see in the NBA.
I will say, I am surprised teams don't try to get favorable matchups against him when he is playing defense. I know he is relentless and crafty and gets a lot of steals and all, but I would think his height and lack of length would be a huge disadvantage in an iso situation at the NBA level. You just don't see it much. I guess nobody knows how to post up anymore?
I will say, I am surprised teams don't try to get favorable matchups against him when he is playing defense. I know he is relentless and crafty and gets a lot of steals and all, but I would think his height and lack of length would be a huge disadvantage in an iso situation at the NBA level. You just don't see it much. I guess nobody knows how to post up anymore?
I think post skills are indeed weaker but without the illegal defense rules holding back defenders hedging on help, with the five seconds back to the basket rule, with the greatest efficiency coming from lay ups and (corner) threes, it's just not quite as much of the game with all the high pick and roll or iso with running people off the three point line/hockey assist style.
There are some guys who post in this series but not the guards really? I could be wrong, I don't watch the Thunder a lot.
There are some guys who post in this series but not the guards really? I could be wrong, I don't watch the Thunder a lot.
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