TJ McConnell is playing in the NBA Finals and I am officially dead inside

I know I say this a lot but the Sixers have broken me. There’s no other way to say it. I am dead inside. Spiritually cooked. Emotionally bankrupt. And now TJ McConnell — yes, Process legend TJ McConnell — is headed to the NBA Finals while I sit here staring into the void.

The Pacers took down the Villanova Knicks this weekend and punched their ticket to the Finals. And right there in the middle of it was T.J., knocking down shots and flashing the three sign in front of a courtside crew that included Kylie Jenner, Ben Stiller, and Timothee Chalamet, who looked like a background character in Grease.

TJ McConnell in the NBA Finals. Pray for me.

T.J. McConnell three-ball 👌😏 pic.twitter.com/S42KzHO9gE

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 30, 2025

Tyrese Haliburton buries Knicks, trolls Ben Stiller, and sends Pacers to first NBA Finals in 25 years

Pair that with my guy Miles Teller randomly showing up at MSG — which, as a supposed Philly guy, is truly heart-breaking but that’s another rant for another day.

Miles Teller what’s crackin bro?!

Mi Tell what's crackin bro? Knicks? @Miles_Teller ? @dunphy215 ?? https://t.co/3xGTFzn445 pic.twitter.com/AxVEtFXleK

— Drew Smith (@drewmsmith) May 30, 2025

Back to TJ McConnell…

The man is about to play for a ring before Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, or Markelle Fultz — the crown jewels of The Process. If that doesn’t perfectly sum up this miserable era of Sixers basketball, I don’t know what does.

McConnell’s averaging 8 points, 3 boards, and 3 assists off the bench, playing his usual brand of scrappy, relentless, team-first basketball. Exactly what he did here during the dark days — except now it’s in meaningful playoff minutes for an actual Finals team.

Meanwhile in Philly, we’re stuck in an endless loop of second-round exits, offseason excuses, and new coaches trying to “fix” the unfixable. Watching TJ McConnell thrive on the biggest stage is just icing on the misery cake.

I mean, back in 2017, we thought Embiid, Simmons, and Fultz would be hoisting trophies by now. Instead, Embiid is stuck in rehab, Simmons is doing God knows what, and Fultz is still trying to stick in a rotation somewhere.

TJ McConnell — undrafted Process try-hard — is the one chasing a ring.

Sure, some other Process guys have gotten rings — Ish Smith, JaVale McGee — but T.J. is actually playing real minutes for a contender. And it’s poetic, in the worst way possible.

Good for TJ McConnell, honestly. He earned every bit of this. He was one of the only bright spots during the darkest years of Sixers basketball. For those of us who still foolishly care about this cursed franchise? Yeah, I’m dead inside.

At this point, just crown him. Let TJ McConnell get the ring. It’ll be the most Process Sixers outcome imaginable — and the final nail in my already hollow soul.

Join The Chase