How T.J. McConnell overcame height, draft status to be Pacers’ ‘Great White Hope’ in NBA Finals

Yes, Tyrese Haliburton really called T.J. McConnell the Indiana Pacers' "Great White Hope."

Is he wrong?

The Pacers wouldn't be playing in Game 7 of the NBA Finals without McConnell. Shoot, they may have been eliminated a couple games ago by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

But with McConnell, the Pacers have a chance to win it all. Frankly, they'll probably need one more magical game off the bench from their heroic point guard to get the job done.

The journey McConnell has traveled makes him more than capable.

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How tall is T.J. McConnell?

T.J. McConnell is listed at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds.

For an average human male, he's a bit above average. In the NBA, he's usually the smallest player on the court.

When was T.J. McConnell drafted?

T.J. McConnell was undrafted.

He finished up his college career at Arizona in 2014-15. He was a star for the Wildcats, but that aforementioned height didn't do him any favors.

McConnell got lucky, though. The Philadelphia 76ers were in the midst of their 'Process' and trying to lose as many games as possible. So they signed McConnell.

There was still a lot of losing, but McConnell got valuable NBA minutes both to grow his own game and to prove to others that there was room in the league for this intelligent, hard-working guard with an underrated amount of skill.

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Why T.J. McConnell earned 'Great White Hope' nickname

In some ways, McConnell has traveled a long basketball journey since those early 76ers days.

But really, it's just been four years in Philadelphia followed by six years in Indiana.

He has pretty much always been a solid bench contributor. Those who have watched him closely have recognized his contributions for a while.

It's just that now, he has the biggest stage in basketball to shine on.

It's impossible for a casual fan to know what it's like to be a high-flying, 6-foot-8 human like Obi Toppin. But fans sitting at home can almost know what it's like to be T.J. McConnell.

Except, one big difference. McConnell is one of the best basketball players on the planet, despite his height and perceived lack of athleticism. And he's the reason that there's a Game 7 of these NBA Finals at all.

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