T.J. McConnell Honors Sister by Wearing Her Mercury Jersey at Game 1 of 2025 NBA Finals

 

OKLAHOMA CITY — In a heartwarming display of sibling solidarity, Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell stepped into Paycom Center ahead of Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals donning his younger sister Megan McConnell’s brand‑new Phoenix Mercury jersey. The gesture highlighted not only family unity, but the shared journey of both McConnells as they navigate the professional ranks of the NBA and WNBA.

 

Megan, a standout guard from Duquesne University, recently signed with the Mercury on June 3 and made her debut before unfortunately suffering a knee injury after logging 13 minutes with 3 points and 3 assists . Despite being sidelined, she reciprocated T.J.’s gesture by appearing at her game in Phoenix wearing his No. 9 Pacers jersey .

 

T.J.’s tribute was no last‑minute decision: the jersey was personally overnighted to Oklahoma City with help from the Mercury organization . “I was so proud of her, almost cried,” he shared with Fieldhouse Files, reflecting on the significance of wearing a sibling’s professional jersey on basketball’s biggest stage .

 

The moment resonated across social media, with highlights shared by both NBA TV and the Mercury, marking a rare appearance of a featured brother‑sister duo in simultaneous NBA and WNBA finals rosters . They join Amir and Nia Coffey as one of only two active sibling pairs in the two leagues .

 

On the court, the support seems to translate into performance. T.J. contributed 9 points and 4 assists off the bench in Game 1, helping Indiana claim a stirring 111‑110 comeback win over the Thunder . Meanwhile, the Mercury secured a strong victory prior to Megan’s injury .

 

With both careers on notable high notes—T.J. reaching his first NBA Finals and Megan launching her WNBA journey—the McConnells continue a cherished family legacy rooted in basketball excellence, inspired in part by Hall‑of‑Famer aunt Suzie McConnell‑Serio .