Where does the Penguins connection come from?
The tie to the Pittsburgh Penguins comes from NHL.com, which described TJ McConnell as someone who "grew up a big Penguins fan." That is NHL.com's wording, not something he is quoted saying, and it is a background tie rather than a stated fandom.
Does it line up with where he is from?
It does geographically. McConnell was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on March 25, 1992, and went to Chartiers Valley High School in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania. He played college ball at Duquesne from 2010 to 2012, then at Arizona from 2013 to 2015. His NBA career began in 2015 with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he played through 2019 before moving to the Indiana Pacers, his current team.
Questions people ask
What teams does TJ McConnell root for?
The only team tied to him is the Pittsburgh Penguins, through an NHL.com description of him as someone who "grew up a big Penguins fan," not through a statement of his own.
What team did TJ McConnell root for growing up?
NHL.com described him as having "grew up a big Penguins fan," and he was born in Pittsburgh and attended high school in nearby Bridgeville.
Is TJ McConnell a Penguins fan in his own words?
No, the Penguins link comes from NHL.com's description, so it stands as a background tie rather than a fandom he has stated himself.