Indiana Pacers guard and former Duquesne star TJ McConnell will play in the upcoming NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 10-year NBA veteran, who went undrafted and overcame the odds to carve out an impressive professional career, will lead the Pacers into the best-of-seven series, which begins Thursday. 

McConnell, 33, has been instrumental in series victories over the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks thus far. In 16 playoff games, he's averaging 16.3 minutes and scoring an average of 8.4 points per game. He's also averaging 3.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. 

McConnell, who spent two seasons at Duquesne from 2010-12, may not have the flashy numbers that compare to some of the NBA's biggest stars, but he's found a way to make a name for himself by simply outworking opposing players. 

"I genuinely believe that playing hard is a skill, because if it wasn't, everyone would do it," McConnell said on The Young Man and The Three podcast in March. "If you play really hard and make life hell for the other team, the other stuff like the offense, that s--t will fall into place. But if you're going and playing until exhaustion every time you're out there, it gives you a chance to make a roster and to get more minutes. I feel like I've made a 10-year NBA career on just outplaying people. You have to have skill, obviously, but just making life really difficult on both ends." 

McConnell, a Chartiers Valley graduate, appeared in 63 games over his two years at Duquesne before transferring to Arizona. He averaged 11.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game in a Dukes uniform. 

Here are highlights from the Pacers' Game 6 victory over the Knicks on Saturday: