THE INDIANA PACERS’ T.J. MCCONNELL.
:10—If you’re from any part of Western Pa., Pennsylvania, or for that matter, anywhere in the U.S. basketball globe, you know the name McConnell and know that it represents two things, quality and basketball royalty! T.J. McConnell not only represented the family big time, but W. PA as well. Both were well represented in Sunday’s NBA Finals Game 7. More on that in a minute. He of the McConnell basketball family, his dad and uncles all players and coaches; his aunt, Suzie McConnell-Serio, 3X PIAA champion, Kodak and USBWA All-American, Naismith Awardee, All WNBA First Team, WNBA Coach of the Year, Gold Medal Winner in the 1988 Summer Olympics, and a long time high school and college coach; sister Megan, former great Duquesne University player, now in the WNBA; and an ongoing list of McConnell talent that . . . more than time and space will allow. (I am privileged and proud to recall my introduction to the family through T. J.’s uncle, Coach Tommie McConnell, when we worked together in the Pitt Basketball Camps back in the day! I couldn’t have been treated better!)
With W. PA’s nationally recognized toughness, hard work, and never-say-never attitude, T.J. did all he could to ignite the Indiana Pacers and help get them to the Champagne, but the loss of their team leader, Tyrese Haliburton, and the talent of League MVP- “SGA” was too much to overcome. In 28 valuable minutes T.J. scored 16 points with 12 in the 3rd quarter, grabbed six rebounds, dished out 3 assists with 1 blocked shot and 1 steal. He shot 8 for 13 (61.5 percent) from the field. And, in my opinion, given a Pacer victory in game seven, there was a strong possibility of MVP selection! Given the unfortunate Haliburton injury, you can expect to see T.J. with an even greater role in the 2026 Pacer comeback. Congratulations, T. J., Pittsburgh Proud, Pittsburgh Strong!
:09—Could’ve, should’ve, would’ve, is in full effect here and my early call for the Pacers to win it all would have been more than hopeful if Tyrese Haliburton had not gone down with an Achilles tear early in the game.
:08—So let’s finish up this NBA season as we always do with some back and forth to keep the flame burning until next basketball season in September. Starting with this subjective top twelve. The greatest teams of all time . . . #1. The 1959-1966 Celtics (let’s be clear, 8 consecutive titles . . . eleven in total); #2. 95-96 Chicago Bulls; #3. 85-86 Celtics; #4. 1999-01 Lakers; #5. 86-87 Lakers; #6. 71-72 Lakers; #7. 82-83 Philadelphia 76ers; #8. 70-71 Bucks; #9. 2013-14 Spurs; #10. 88-89 Pistons; #11. 2016-17 Warriors; #12. 67-68 Pittsburgh Pipers – “my ringer.”
:07—Here’s the one that gets the party started, top ten players all time: #1. Wilt Chamberlain; #2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; #3. Michael Jordan; #4. Magic Johnson; #5. Kobe Bryant; #6. Larry Bird; #7. Shaquille O’Neal; #8. Julius “Dr. J” Erving; #9. Oscar Robertson; #10. Connie Hawkins – “my Ringer again”…gotcha! (FYI, no I am not crazy, LeBron James doesn’t make my top ten!!! And it gives my list some convenient space when I recognize the great Bill Russell as the greatest winner of all time, not the greatest player – gotcha again.
:06—Top Ten NCAA All-Time Men’s Teams: #1. ’68 UCLA Bruins; #2. ’96 Kentucky Wildcats; #3. ’76 Indiana Hoosiers; #4. ’72 UCLA Bruins; #5. ’92 Duke Blue Devils; #6. ’82 UNC Tar Heels; #7. ’74 NC State; #8. ’56 San Francisco Dons; #9. ’84 Georgetown Hoyas; #10. ’66 Texas Western.
:05—Top Ten All-Time Female Players: #1. Cheryl Miller; #2. Breanna Stewart; #3. Caitlin Clark; #4. Chamique Holdsclaw; #5. Diana Taurasi; #6. Lynette Woodard; #7. Sue Bird; #8. Rebecca Lobo; #9. Brittney Griner; #10. Sheryl Swoopes.
:04—Greatest All-Time Western PA Teams…FYI, as told to me: #1 or 2 Ambridge with Dick Devenzio; #2 or 1 Schenley Spartans with Kenny Durrett; #3. Midland with Simmie Hill; #4. Farrell Steelers; #5. Fifth Ave. Archers with Sam Clancy; #6. Valley H.S. Vikings with Baron “B.B.” Flenory.
:03—OK, let’s wrap it up…Top Five National Summer Basketball Leagues 1975 through1985: #1. Harlem Rucker League, New York; #2. L.A. Laker Summer League; #3. Baker League, Philadelphia; #4. The Urban Coalition League, Washington, D.C.; #5. Connie Hawkins Summer League, Pittsburgh (as reported by the then-Atlanta Journal Constitution and Coach Al McGuire’s Summer Basketball League book, “Heat In the Street”).
:02—Once again, all subjective, open to debate, provided by various lists: All-time Greatest Male Players in W. PA: Kenny Durrett, Simmie Hill, Ron Carter, Ed Fleming, Baron “B.B.” Flenory, Sam Clancy, Jarrett Durham, Hosea Champine, Ricky Coleman, Myron Brown, DeJuan Blair, Chuck Cooper, Sr., Pete Maravich, Billy Knight, Benji Pryor, Kirk Bruce, George Harvey, Keith Starr, Bobby Byrd, Larry Richardson, Billy Varner, David Kennedy, T. J. McConnell, Norm Van Lier, Clarence Hopson, Dennis Wuycik, Tom Pipkins, Terrelle Pryor, Craig Prosser, Sean Miller, Jack Marin, Maurice Stokes, Brad Davis, Jeff Baldwin, Bill Clark, Ronnie McRae, George Karl, Reggie Dukes, Kevin Walls, Stu Lyons, Tom Coates, Chip Harris, Mark McCloud, John Marshall, Tim Appleton, David Trent, Darrell Gissendanner, Eric Jefferson, Brent and Herb Lake, Jim and Julius McCoy, Jim McCoy, Jr., John Tate, Terry Knight, Chucky Anderson, Houn Johnson, Delton Heard, Micky Davis – – – All-Time Greatest Female Players: Swin Cash, Suzie McConnell, Jennifer Bruce, Edna Campbell, Kamela Gissendanner, Tanisha Wright, Shatori Walker, Karen Hall, Robin Smith, Lyanna Wade, Charel Allen, Gina Naccarato, Brooke Stewart, Sheana Mosch, Katie Bulger. (AND AN ENDLESS LIST OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA BALLERS THAT COULD GO ON FOR PAGES…APOLOGIES TO THOSE I MAY HAVE MISSED)
:01—For the last time…I think, here are the Greatest W. Pa. leapers of all time: #1. Flyin’ Myron Brown; #2. Nathan “Sonny” Lewis; #3. Morrie “Skylab” Cox; #4. Robert “Jeep” Kelly; #5. Steve Snyder; #6. Gerald “Skywalker” Warrick; #7. Myron Walker; #8. John Farley; #9. Larry “Juice” Walker; #10. Ron Stevenson,.
:00—GAME OVER.
About Post Author
