Is T.J. McConnell the lucky charm the Indiana Pacers need at the NBA Draft Lottery? The team certainly hopes so. After All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton declined the honor—citing a case of "bad luck" from his previous stint as the on-stage representative—the Pacers are turning to another steady hand at the point guard position.

Veteran floor general T.J. McConnell will represent Indiana when the lottery results are revealed Sunday at 3 p.m. ET in Chicago, airing live on ESPN. The 34-year-old is no stranger to big moments, having just wrapped up his 11th NBA season and seventh with the Pacers. Despite Indiana finishing with the league's second-worst record and a franchise-worst 19-63 mark, McConnell delivered one of the most efficient campaigns of his career.

McConnell averaged 9.4 points and 5.1 assists per game while shooting an impressive 53.8% from the field. The Pacers managed his minutes carefully—just 17.2 per game, a career low—as they prioritized his health amid a season defined by struggles. But when you look at his per-36-minute production, the numbers jump off the page: 19.6 points and 10.7 assists. The scoring clip ranked second on the team among players with at least 30 games, trailing only All-Star forward Pascal Siakam, while his assist rate led the entire roster.

For a franchise in need of a little lottery luck, McConnell brings the same grit and consistency he shows on the court. Whether that translates to a favorable bounce of the ping-pong balls remains to be seen, but the Pacers are betting on their veteran leader to change their fortunes.