Not even the most stylish designer threads could have topped T.J. McConnell’s pregame outfit for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.
The Pacers guard showed up to Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center repping the new WNBA jersey of his sister, Megan, who signed with the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday.
And it was only fitting for Megan to return the favor.
She arrived at the Mercury’s game Thursday night against the Golden State Valkyries rocking her brother’s Pacers jersey, although she was sidelined with an injury.
Perhaps the gestures were a good luck charm for both McConnells, as the Mercury rolled to an 86-77 win and the Pacers captured a thrilling 111-110 triumph over the Thunder after a stunning fourth-quarter comeback.
The highlight was Tyrese Haliburton’s go-ahead jumper with 0.3 seconds remaining, which gave Indiana its first lead of the game after trailing by double-digits most of the way.
But McConnell was a key piece in keeping the Pacers afloat early on.
He tallied nine points and four assists in 17 minutes, including a particularly successful stint in the first half.
Coming off the bench, the 33-year-old has played a major role in Indiana’s run to the Finals as a high-energy guard with a knack for slashing through the defense and creating his own shot.
Megan, 23, will look to carve out her role on the Mercury as her WNBA career gets underway.
The guard played five seasons at Duquesne, averaging 18.4 points and 7.2 points in her senior season in 2024-25.
She was in Indianapolis last Saturday to see T.J. and the Pacers close out the Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals before traveling to Phoenix to sign her contract.
The McConnells became the second active brother-sister duo between the NBA and WNBA, joining Amir and Nia Coffey.
Not a bad week for the McConnell family.
