Valerie Guiliani is the wife of T.J. McConnell, an NBA guard for the Indiana Pacers. The two grew up near Pittsburgh, began dating in high school, married in 2017, and have two sons, Trace and Mack.
She knew him long before he played in the NBA. Their shared past in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, includes school days, a proposal in their old gym, and a wedding close to home.
In this article, you’ll learn about her childhood ties to McConnell, their relationship, wedding, children, family connections, and the moments that have brought her into the public eye.
Who Is Valerie Guiliani?
She is also known as Valerie McConnell or simply Val, the name used by her husband’s teammates. Reports from her husband’s basketball career use the surname Guiliani. The spelling Giuliani also appears in some articles about the couple.
Her husband, Timothy John McConnell II, has played in the NBA since 2015. He is best known for his work as a point guard with the Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers.
Unlike an athlete whose work is covered each week, she has made few public appearances or comments. One of her best-known interviews came before their wedding, when the couple spoke about his haircut.
Sports Illustrated described her as his kindergarten classmate in a 2018 profile of McConnell’s early NBA career.
Growing Up Near Pittsburgh
Her childhood is tied to Bridgeville, a community southwest of Pittsburgh. She and McConnell grew up on the same street and knew each other from kindergarten.
Their families lived close enough for the children to share a school community. The couple’s connection began long before reporters covered his games or his career.
Chartiers Valley High School was part of their teenage years. McConnell played basketball there under his father, Tim, and graduated in 2010.
The gym at that school was also the setting for the 2016 proposal that would lead to their wedding the next year.
From School Friends to a Long Relationship
Their friendship became a romance while they were in high school. Reports from 2017 called her his high school sweetheart, not someone he met after becoming a pro.
McConnell went on to play college basketball at Duquesne University. He then moved to the University of Arizona, where he became a key player for the Wildcats.
Their relationship continued while his college path took him away from home. By the time he entered the NBA, they had known each other for much of their lives.
He went undrafted in 2015 but earned a place with the 76ers. In February 2017, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that the couple were busy planning their fall wedding.
The Proposal at Chartiers Valley High School
McConnell planned a scavenger hunt that took his girlfriend to places tied to their past in Pittsburgh. The first stop was the street where they had grown up.
She followed a list of clues until she reached Chartiers Valley’s main gym. It was a place McConnell knew well from years of playing school basketball.
Flowers covered the court when she arrived. He waited on one knee with the couple’s dog beside him, then asked her to marry him.
The proposal took place in 2016, a year before the wedding. Its setting linked their childhood friendship, years of dating, and the sport that shaped his career.
A Pittsburgh-Area Wedding in September 2017
They married on September 9, 2017, near Pittsburgh. McConnell was then a 76ers player, so guests included people he had met through pro and college basketball.
Former Philadelphia teammate Nik Stauskas was part of the wedding party. The Arizona Daily Star also reported that former Wildcats guard Nick Johnson attended.
The celebration took place around the Meadows Racetrack area, close to where McConnell grew up. It brought friends from his old school and later basketball years to one event.
Guests also included people from McConnell’s college years in Arizona, such as his former teammate Nick Johnson.
The Haircut Story From Their Wedding Plans
Before the ceremony, the couple spoke with a Philadelphia sports outlet about a change to McConnell’s look. For years he had worn his hair in a very short buzz cut.
Valerie wanted him to grow it out for the wedding. She said she liked how he looked with more hair, even though he had doubts about the change.
McConnell took her advice and arrived at the wedding with a neater, longer cut. The exchange gave fans a rare chance to hear her speak in a light, relaxed setting.
His shorter hairstyle had been familiar to Sixers fans; the wedding plans explain why he began wearing more hair.
How His NBA Career Shaped Their Public Life
McConnell joined Philadelphia in 2015 after he was not picked in the NBA draft. He built a role on the team through strong defense, passing, and steady play off the bench.
He signed with the Indiana Pacers in July 2019. That move placed the couple in the orbit of a new team and a new group of players and fans.
McConnell has remained with Indiana through the 2026 season. The team’s current roster still lists him as a guard wearing No. 9.
Off-court news about the player has at times included his wife. But most interviews have stayed focused on basketball, leaving her own day-to-day work outside the sports pages.
Two Sons, Trace and Mack
The couple welcomed their first son, Trace, on January 8, 2021. McConnell missed part of an Indiana road trip so he could be with his family after the birth.
He later spoke about how becoming a father gave him new drive. His words put his role at home beside the demands of playing pro basketball.
A second son arrived in 2023. A 2024 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette profile identified both boys by name, Trace and Mack.
The NBA’s official player biography also lists Valerie as McConnell’s wife and confirms they have two sons. It does not turn the children into public figures or give details of their private lives.
What McConnell Has Said About Her Support
In December 2021, a wrist injury kept McConnell out of action for months. He needed surgery and missed 55 games before returning to play in April 2022.
After his return, he spoke about the help he had received from Valerie and their young son. Both were at the arena when he made his way back to the court.
He described his wife and child as a source of strength during that stretch. It was one of his clearest public comments about family during a hard part of his career.
McConnell had played through much of his earlier career without long absences, so the months away were a major change for him.
The 2024 Pacers Playoff Moment That Put Val in the News
On May 2, 2024, Indiana beat the Milwaukee Bucks to advance to the next round of the NBA playoffs. McConnell gave the team 20 points, nine assists, and four steals.
After the game, teammate Tyrese Haliburton spoke about Valerie’s presence. He joked that McConnell tends to play better when his wife attends games.
He made the comment after McConnell had bounced back from a rough game earlier in the series. The exchange gave her a brief public spotlight during a major Pacers win.
The NBA featured Haliburton’s remark in its May 3 playoff summary, giving the moment a place in the league’s own account of the series.
Family Ties to Pennsylvania Basketball
McConnell comes from a family with deep roots in local basketball. His father, Tim McConnell, coached him at Chartiers Valley and guided the school team to major wins.
His siblings, Matty and Megan, have also played the sport. A 2024 report said the guard had their names marked on his arm as part of his pregame routine.
The same report described a tattoo of Valerie’s name on his wrist. He touches it before games, along with the names of his sons.
These small public details show how he keeps family close during his work. They also link the people in his home life to the habits fans see on the court.
Life Around the Pacers in Recent Years
In June 2025, news about Indiana’s NBA Finals run brought more attention to her role in McConnell’s life. Coverage pointed back to Haliburton’s earlier comment about her at games.
Reports from that period described her social media as private rather than a public page used to share every family moment. Most news about her still comes through sports coverage.
The Pacers entered the 2026-27 season with McConnell still on the roster. That keeps the family’s link to Indiana basketball current, nine years after their wedding.
Outside a few interviews and game-day moments, she has stayed out of the public eye. No separate job title or company has been confirmed in the major reports about her.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is Valerie Guiliani married to?
She is married to T.J. McConnell, the NBA guard who plays for the Indiana Pacers. They married in 2017.
How did Valerie Guiliani meet T.J. McConnell?
They knew each other from kindergarten and grew up on the same street near Pittsburgh. They began dating during their high school years.
When did Valerie and T.J. McConnell get married?
They married on September 9, 2017, in the Pittsburgh area of Pennsylvania.
What are the names of their children?
Their two sons are Trace, born in January 2021, and Mack, born in 2023.
What is Valerie Guiliani’s age and profession?
Her exact age and current job have not been established in authoritative public reporting. Her public profile centers on family events linked to McConnell’s career.
Final Thoughts
Valerie Guiliani and T.J. McConnell have known each other since childhood. Their shared history includes school years in Pennsylvania, a proposal at the old gym, a 2017 wedding, and two sons.
Her name has also appeared during moments that mattered on the court, from his return after surgery to a key Pacers playoff win. These details make a clear profile of her life without needing to turn private matters into headlines.
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