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T.J. McConnell’s Chance of Making 76ers Roster Looks Much Better

By Shereen Rayan

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NBA rookie point guard T.J. McConnell is giving it everything he has to make the Philadelphia 76ers roster as a point guard.

ZonaZealots has continued to follow former Arizona Wildcats basketball point guard T.J. McConnell from the time he kissed the Arizona ‘A’ on the Lute and Bobbie Olson Court at McKale until today.

McConnell doesn’t have the luxury of already having signed a long-term contract and being able to play with the confidence that comes with it; he has to prove himself on the professional scene.

Earlier in the month ZZ published an update on McConnell’s journey through NBA pre-season play; ‘T.J. McConnell Proving to the NBA What Wildcats Fans Already know.‘ In June, another outlet published a post explaining why McConnell’s chances looked bleak. It doesn’t seem to matter what the media or NBA experts say or think because T.J. is proving to NBA experts he has what it takes whether it’s on the 76ers or any other NBA team.

Draft committees and experts hopefully feel like idiots for passing him up when they watch Sixers highlights. The hope is that the Sixers coaches and GM are rubbing their hands together like mad scientists because they found a diamond in the rough.

No one could have imagined pre-NBA Draft that McConnell would have to take one of the toughest roads to landing a spot on a roster in the NBA. After all Stanley Johnson, who was featured in a Piston’s back to the future video floating on a hoverboard, and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who tried his hand at being a DJ at NBA rookie media day, seem to be sailing smooth on the NBA ocean.

Things are looking up for our beloved Wildcats point guard. If you measure things by the manner in which a team behaves in social media by showing fans know how special their players are, then there is another great sign. Just this week McConnell was acknowledged by his current NBA Team on Twitter for his performance of the Stanky Leg dance during the Sixers practice. And his performance is exquisite! It’s clear he fits in well with his teammates.

Marc Whittington, SB Nations Liberty Ballers writer, broke down T.J.’s current situation. His analysis shows there is only one spot for ‘Furkan Aldemir, TJ McConnell, Scottie Wilbekin, and Pierre Jackson.’ Whittington made the case why he thinks McConnell has a good shot at filling the spot since he ‘has been the strongest of the three point guards this pre-season.’ And…

Oct 8, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown talks with guard T.J. McConnell (12) during a timeout in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Wells Fargo Center. The 76ers won 115-114. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

  • He is the only one with a positive overall Net Rating, and the improved play is tangible when he steps on the court.
  • He has a strong ability to involve his teammates, as demonstrated by his 39% assist rate through 4 games.
  • He has also shown the best ability to play within Brett Brown’s schemes, pushing the ball at every attempt, such that the Sixers achieve 110 possessions per 48 minutes while McConnell is on the court.
  • Jackson and Wilbekin have done well, but not quite as well as McConnell.
  • McConnell has also been the best defender. He was an elite defender at Arizona, at that has continued as a strength in the NBA.

Well done floor general!

Arizona head coach Sean Miller frequently spoke about T.J. and his court vision and a high basketball IQ. Mike Wolfson of Headlines and Global News has seen the same traits in McConnell as well.

More from Cats in the Pros

‘So far this preseason McConnell has averaged 7.3 points, 5.8assists, and 4 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game while shooting 52 percent from the field. The point guard has taken advantage of his opportunities though and now has a chance to stick and play some minutes as the backup point guard when the season begins. McConnell is still not a lock to make the team, but there seems to be a pretty good chance he does. It would be wise of the 76ers to keep him as they need a backup point guard for the beginning of the season.’

More accolades came from TodaysFastBreak.com 76ers writer Sean Kennedy in his article regarding how McConnell has gone from training camp fodder to roster hopeful (his words not ours).

"Across the three preseason games in which he’s been a participant, McConnell sports a 44.4 percent assist ratio, easily the highest on the team (aside from Jackson who played just 12 minutes in his return Friday). He’s done an excellent job distributing the rock without turning it over left and right; his respectable 2.5 AST/TO ratio files in behind Isaiah Canaan as second-best on the team.Finally, McConnell hasn’t shrunk from the big moments either. He hit the game-winning jumper in a win against Brooklyn, and then recorded a double-double with 10 points, 10 assists and four steals in his first start of the preseason on Friday night."

That game-winning shot prompted his current coach to say encouraging things about McConnell, “The other stuff is proven. He’s a heady defender. He passes the hell out of it. He plays with amazing pace. I think he will be very popular in the city.”

Sounds like he made up his mind already.

The 76ers could also try and use the Collective Bargaining Agreement Hardship Roster Exception to create a 16th spot on their roster for a point guard since Joel Embiid, Kendall Marshall, Tony Wroten, and Carl Landry have suffered injuries.

The Sixers will face the Celtics this Friday night, and one would think the coach knows what he is going to do by now. Either way Wildcats fans know T.J. is going to leave it all on the court.

Next: Arizona Wildcats Basketball Receives First 2016 Commitment: Lauri Markkanen

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