T.J. McConnell’s induction into the Arizona Ring of Honor came at a good time for Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd.
With Arizona struggling in non-conference play, who better to point to than McConnell to exemplify what comes from believing in a process.
“He’s an incredible example of toughness and will to be successful and will to win, and figuring out what you got to do to be successful at the highest level,” Lloyd said prior to Arizona’s Wednesday night game against Samford. “It’s inspiring. Our team needs a little T.J. McConnell right now.”
Lloyd had hoped that McConnell would be able to speak to Wildcats players ahead of the Ring of Honor ceremony, but the Indiana Pacers’ tight travel schedule didn’t afford McConnell that opportunity.
Still, his presence at McKale Center Wednesday gave the team a glimpse at what some self-belief and determination can lead to.
“They can use a little of that, of his heart, his toughness, his grit, his will to win,” Lloyd said. “We can use some of that. Maybe things are all coming together for a reason.”
Of the 34 Arizona men’s basketball players to have their name enshrined in the McKale rafters, McConnell can claim the most unlikely journey to reach such recognition.
Wildcats fans know McConnell’s story well enough by now – how he went from a mid-major point guard to transferring to Arizona, sitting out a year, and then leading UA to a 69-9 record over the next two seasons.
McConnell was a consummate college point guard; as a senior he set the program record for assist-to-turnover ratio (3.03) and had the second-most assists in a single season in Arizona history (238).
He benefited from being surrounded with great talent and having a coach who believed in his potential.
“It was definitely more Coach (Sean) Miller believing in me than me believing in myself,” McConnell said from McKale Center Wednesday. “Especially playing in the NBA. Just you never know. But he instilled that confidence in me and saw it from day one. That’s why we’re so close to this day.”
Lloyd, then an assistant coach at Gonzaga during McConnell’s senior season, remembers the point guard being “tough as nails” when Arizona played the Bulldogs in a 2014 non-conference matchup.
Lloyd said he hoped that having McConnell around this week would rub off on this year’s team.
“For guys trying to make it, guys should pay attention to him,” Lloyd said. “Maybe their journey, or the way they’re going to make it’s a little bit different, but there’s going to be a lot of similarities with toughness, grit, a stick-to-itiveness, figuring it out, and and not trying to be like other people, because he’s a unique player.”
McConnell spent Wednesday’s ceremony reveling with Pacers teammates and UA coaches and staffers from his years as a Wildcat.
“The advice for someone in my shoes, you know 10 years ago, is that anything’s possible. There’s going to be a lot of naysayers along the way that are going to tell you you’re not good enough in whatever you do,” McConnell said. “But if you put your hat, put your head down, and go to work, anything’s possible. I feel like I’m living proof of that.”