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T.J. McConnell's Dad Shares Emotional Message on Kids Playing in NBA Finals, WNBA
T.J. McConnell's Dad Shares Emotional Message on Kids Playing in NBA Finals, WNBA originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Indiana Pacers sit one game away from the franchise's first NBA championship.
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With one more victory to earn, players can't show too much excitement. But fathers of the players can.
That's exactly what happened when Pacers guard T.J. McConnell's father, Tim, joined the postgame set on NBA TV after Indiana defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.
Tim also gave a shout out to his daughter, Megan, who is in her first season with the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA.
"I can't be more proud to say that I have a son in the NBA, and I have a daughter in the WNBA," Tim said. "This is a dream come true."
"And I'm going to OKC for my son to play in the championship game to win the world championship."
Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Tim praised his son's play from Game 6. But in typical father fashion, he also pointed out his son's flaws.
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"Excellent. Just disappointed he missed two foul shots in the beginning," Tim said. "I kept saying, man, I wish he would have made those two foul shots.
"But, he recovered, and we won the game. So, I can forget about the foul shots. Anything can happen in Game 7. We're going to OKC to try and win a world championship, and my son is a part of it, and I can't believe that."
Despite the two missed free throws, McConnell finished Game 6 with 12 points on 6-of-12 shooting. The guard also had nine rebounds, six assists and four steals while playing 24 minutes off the bench.
Megan has appeared in one game for the Mercury this season. She posted three points with three assists, one rebound and one steal in 13 minutes.
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Related: Mercury Star's 5-Word Reaction After Win Over Sun
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
