The Indiana Pacers guard is the latest in a long line of players dedicated to making life as uncomfortable as possible for their opponents
, welcomes the pressure.
For the Pacers guard, that often comes on an inbounds play. He’ll watch the ball go through the net, perhaps after a layup he just made, and head down the court to set up his defense. But just after taking an extra half-step, McConnell might dart back in front of the other team’s point guard to intercept the inbounding pass.
For the Pacers guard, hustling is a skill. Yes, he’s heard that “anyone” can hustle, but not everyone does. At least to the degree he, Alvarado and the others do. While some can shoot three-pointers with divine efficiency and others can dunk from the rafters, McConnell has a motor that won’t quit. He says it was something he established during his first two years in college at Duquesne University, before transferring to the University of Arizona.
When it happens, McConnell tries to make a quick, sure move to get by the defender to set up his team’s offense. But perhaps a small part of him is smiling inside, too, knowing the fraternity he and that tenacious defender are both members of. When he’s doing the pressing, he knows his job is to make his opponent work. It’s unlikely players like Paul or Young will ever be shut down totally, but McConnell knows his responsibility is to get them sweating, to make their lives difficult.
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