LeBron James calls Pacers player one of his favorite NBA players
LOS ANGELES (WISH) — Indiana Pacers’ point guard T.J. McConnell just received some high praise from one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
In the opening sequence of the podcast, Mind the Game, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James called McConnell one of his favorite players in the NBA.
Mind the Game features James and former NBA player JJ Reddick, and they both credited the Pacer fan-favorite in Wednesday’s episode of the podcast.
“One of my favorite players in the NBA right now is T.J. McConnell,” James said. “McConnell is like Draymond (Green) as a point guard.”
Green has been a staple with Golden State for over a decade, winning four NBA championships with the Warriors.
Reddick agreed with James’ comparison, acknowledging McConnell’s impact off the bench for Indiana.
“There are certain guys that check into the game, and it changes the flow of the game,” said the former Duke star and 15-year NBA veteran.
McConnell is enjoying a productive season as the backup point guard for the Pacers, averaging north of 10 points and 5 assists per game.
McConnell recorded 17 points and seven assists a 140-123 win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday. In fact, McConnell has scored in double figures in 13 of the last 14 games, all off the bench.
The Pacers seem to have success when McConnell plays well, as the Pacers are 12-5 when the 6’1 guard scores 15 or more points this season.
The former Arizona Wildcat leads the NBA’s highest scoring bench, a big reason why Indiana (46-34) is positioned as a top 6-seed in the Eastern Conference, with a chance to improve on that seeding over the final two games of the regular season.
McConnell is an extension of head coach Rick Carlisle, and his high energy and intensity gives Pacers’ fans plenty to cheer about every time he subs into the game.
Indiana will take on the Cavaliers in Cleveland for its penultimate game of the regular season on Friday at 7:30 p.m. EDT.
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