It didn't take long for new Indiana Pacers point guard TJ McConnell to feel welcomed within the team's ranks.
McConnell, 27, signed with Indiana in the offseason after leaving the Philadelphia 76ers, where he played for four seasons. With the new 6-foot-2 point guard on the team, de facto team leader in two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo reached out to make McConnell comfortable.
Via Stephen J. Nesbitt in The Athletic:
After news of McConnell’s agreement with the Pacers broke earlier this month, several current Pacers — guard Victor Oladipo, forward Doug McDermott and center Myles Turner — contacted McConnell to welcome him.
“That shows you the type of players they have on their team,” McConnell said. “They weren’t obligated to reach out, but they felt the need to do it.”
In mid-July, McConnell went to Las Vegas for 48 hours to catch some NBA Summer League action. Oladipo invited McConnell to work out with him one day, just the two of them. “Again, a guy reaching out to a new teammate is pretty cool,” McConnell said. After the workout, McConnell had dinner with members of the Pacers’ front office and support staff.
The Pacers have a few new additions brought in over the summer, including McConnell, Malcolm Brogdon, Jeremy Lamb, TJ Warren from the Phoenix Suns, and Aaron Holiday's brother Justin.
Players making time in the offseason to work out with one another and build a rapport is a fairly common theme, although it's not a necessary part of NBA athletes' July and August plans before the hectic, six-month regular season starting in the fall.
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