Indiana Pacers: Most impactful players of the season thus far

T.J. McConnell has given the Pacers a huge boost off the bench

3. T.J. McConnell

Though the Pacers already had Aaron Holiday as a reserve point guard coming into the last offseason, T.J. McConnell was also signed to the team to provide steady and solid playmaking off the bench. Over halfway through his first Pacer season, McConnell has not disappointed.

Always sprinting, diving, falling, and exploding across the hardwood, McConnell is like a ball of energy when he’s on the court. He’s able to maintain this explosive style of play while also running the bench unit’s offense incredibly efficiently.

Take one look at him at the top of the key and you’ll see him pointing and communicating, becoming the floor general whenever he has the ball in his hands.

Furthermore, McConnell has seemed to master the balance between getting his teammates set up and forcing up a shot of his own at the necessary times. He really only has one scoring move, a close-range fall away shot, but when he can hit it mid-sprint it’s incredibly reliable.

At 28, McConnell is practically a veteran for the young Pacer’s bench, and his mental maturity outstretches his age. He ranks eighth in the league assist to turnover ratio, and his steady defense helps maintain the game score when the starters are off the floor.

He pales in comparison to Malcolm Brogdon and Aaron Holiday in terms of deep shooting ability, but his incredible consistency is exactly what a competitive team needs to win night in and night out.