Former Notre Dame basketball star Pat Connaughton has never come close to being an NBA Superstar. However, as the Charlotte Hornets are now figuring out, what's allowed him to have a successful 11-year career is his never-say-die attitude and willingness to do whatever it takes to help the team.
It took no time for Hornets GM Jeff Peterson to figure out that the value of Connaughton is that he doesn't have an ego that tells him to take his ball and go home when things don't work out the way he hoped. Peterson pointed to that earlier this week when he was addressing the team and specifically called out the swingman for his attitude after being traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Hornets this offseason.
Former Notre Dame star Pat Connaughton earns Hornets’ praise for his attitude
"I’ll be fully transparent with you guys," Peterson said about the ex-Notre Dame star ahead of the NBA's opening night. "When we made the trade for Pat, I talked to him and said, ‘You’re probably not making the team.’ And I give him all the credit in the world because he showed up. He didn’t have to be here. He could've just stayed in Texas with his family and figured out his next move, but he’s been with you guys every step of the way, competing."
"He and Charles have had conversations. I've had conversations with him. He knows that if he plays 5 minutes or if he may not play for 20 straight games, why he's on this team is because he's about everything that we're about: Hornets DNA."
"You talk about controlling controllables. Anytime his name is called, he's ready to go in the game. He's staying ready. He's busting his ass. He's a professional. So if there's any doubt at any time of what we're about, look at what he did. Because it was all in his control, in terms of his attitude, his approach, showing up every day doing what he could control, and obviously it paid off."
The former Notre Dame basketball star has appeared in 595 NBA games and started just 71. He almost certainly won't be starting for the Hornets when they open the season on Wednesday night. But Pat Connaughton will go in when he's called on and do it with utmost professionalism.