T.J. McConnell put his heart and soul out on the court for the Indiana Pacers in Game 7. Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough for the team to secure a win. A tough loss struck the veteran guard, bringing him to tears. Although McConnell’s mother tried to console him, a cameraman rudely barged in on the two.
McConnell’s mother proceeded to yell at the cameraman upon noticing their presence in the tunnel. With an outstretched arm, she said:
“Stop. Stop! Take it off!”
TJ McConnell’s mom told the cameraman to stop recording 😔
(h/t @MrBuckBuckNBA)pic.twitter.com/BlXzlOqrWj
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 23, 2025
The act of the film crew could be considered a part of their job description to capture every moment, good and bad. The triumph of a win is always paired with the despair of a loss. But, in this particular instance, it only proved to be a distasteful presence in an otherwise private and personal moment.
The actions of the camera crew garnered some attention on social media as well, with outrage being the general theme. Although a few people defended the actions of the cameraman, the consensus was that the act was disrespectful, additionally calling ESPN shameless for broadcasting the feed.
McConnell became a hero in the hearts of NBA fans today. The veteran guard played out of his skin by putting the team on his back, a brave display in extremely unfavorable circumstances. Against the might of the Oklahoma City Thunder, it just wasn’t enough.
Reggie Miller Consoles T.J. McConnell
The walk through the tunnel was a difficult one for McConnell. After being consoled by his mother, the veteran guard was still in tears. Although the walk to the locker room from there on was in silence, he was greeted by Pacers legend Reggie Miller, who embraced him immediately.
McConnell’s heroics in the NBA Finals weren’t lost on Miller. Additionally, the anguish of losing in the Finals was also something the legend could resonate with, having suffered a difficult 4-2 series loss on the same stage 25 years earlier.
Reggie Miller and TJ McConnell 😔 pic.twitter.com/ESoso3w60T
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 23, 2025
McConnell was closely joined by another Pacers guard, Bennedict Mathurin. The duo practically carried the team’s offense from the bench. With McConnell catching fire in the third quarter, scoring all of Indiana’s points by himself, Mathurin followed up by shouldering the task of scoring in the fourth.
The Pacers veteran ended the game with 16 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Meanwhile, the young guard notched a team-high 24 points to go with 13 rebounds and three assists.
The loss was a product of injuries, poor ball distribution, and questionable officiating as well. As unfortunate as the situation is, the result remains the same – the Oklahoma City Thunder win the NBA championship after a 103-91 scoreline in Game 7.
