Former Philadelphia 76ers Fan Favorite Lands Sizable Extension

Former Sixers guard TJ McConnell lands new deal with Pacers.

Nov 14, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) helps Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) off the floor after fouling him during the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

During the early stages of their rebuild, the Philadelphia 76ers had a revolving door of players on the roster in the mid 2010s. For some, it was their only chance to appear on an NBA roster. However, some managed to leverage the opportunity into a long career in the league.

Among those who was a standout performer on "The Process" Sixers was T.J. McConnell. The grity guard quickly became a fan favorite because of his passion on the court, and proved he's capable of being a reliable backup point guard in the league.

McConnell spent four years in Philly from 2015 to 2019. After that, he found a new home on the Indiana Pacers. He's been with the franchise for five years now, and doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.

On Friday afternoon, reports emerged that McConnell and the Pacers agreed to terms on a contract extension worth $45 million over the next four years. Under his new deal, the former undrafted guard is now set to make $54 million in the next five years.

Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell has agreed on a four-year, $45 million extension, Mark Bartelstein and Andy Shiffman of @PrioritySports tell ESPN. Deal takes total worth of McConnell’s contract to $54M over five years. pic.twitter.com/knBuakvOzt

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 30, 2024

McConnell has served a key role for the Pacers as back to All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton. The 31-year-old is also coming off the best year of his career. In 71 games for Indiana last season, McConnell averaged 10.2 PPG, 2.7 RPG, and 5.5 APG in 18 MPG off the bench. One of his best performances in 2024 came against the Boston Celtics in the postseason, where he erupted for 23 points, nine rebounds, and six assists.

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McConnell fought hard to work his way onto an NBA roster 10 years ago, and now he is starting to be rewarded for his tireless efforts.