Pat Connaughton

Connaughton is an American guard who has built a solid NBA career as a sharpshooting perimeter player and defensive contributor. Drafted in the second round in 2015, he won an NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021 and has also pursued a professional baseball career, having been drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 2014.

Born Patrick Bergin Connaughton on January 6, 1993, in Arlington, Massachusetts, he attended St. John's Preparatory School in Danvers, where he starred in three sports. He received major interest in baseball from NCAA Division I schools but emerged as a major basketball prospect after a spectacular week at the AAU national tournament in Orlando, where he had 33 points and 20 rebounds in one game. He was named the Gatorade Massachusetts Boys Basketball Player of the Year in 2011. As a pitcher, he had an 11-2 record with a 1.75 ERA and 160 strikeouts in 90 innings as a senior. He was selected by the San Diego Padres in the MLB draft but chose to attend Notre Dame.

At Notre Dame, Connaughton played both basketball and baseball. He averaged 7.0 points and 4.4 rebounds as a freshman basketball player and helped the Fighting Irish reach the 2012 NCAA tournament. He averaged 8.9 points as a sophomore and 12.5 points as a junior. In the summer of 2013, he pitched in collegiate summer baseball leagues. As a senior, he averaged 12.5 points and 7.4 rebounds and helped Notre Dame reach the 2015 NCAA tournament Elite Eight. He was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the fourth round of the 2014 MLB draft and chose to play both sports professionally.

The Brooklyn Nets selected Connaughton with the 41st overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft and traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers. He spent three seasons in Portland before signing with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2018. He won the 2021 NBA championship with Milwaukee and has been a reliable rotation player, known for his three-point shooting and defensive energy.

Connaughton is a shooting guard with deep three-point range, athleticism, and defensive versatility. He operates as an off-ball scorer, spotting up from three and making timely cuts. His baseball background contributes to his athleticism and competitiveness. He provides valuable depth and experience for playoff teams.