Maine Celtics Add Former Big East Sixth Man of the Year With Surprising NFL Connection image
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The Maine Celtics recently added a former Big East Sixth Man of the Year to their roster.
According to the G League's transaction log, Maine acquired Tyler Polley from the Windy City Bulls in a five-player trade on Sept. 29.
Joining Polley in Maine as part of the trade are Ibou Badji and Erik Reynolds II.
Polley, 28, is a 6-foot-8 forward who played five seasons at UConn. He led the Huskies in 3-point percentage as a freshman and junior. He was then named the Big East Sixth Man of the Year in 2021 after averaging 7.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 22 games, including 19 appearances off the bench, for head coach Dan Hurley.
His father, Tommy Polley, also reached the highest level of professional sports.
Tommy Polley was a linebacker selected by the St. Louis Rams in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He spent six seasons in the NFL with the Rams, New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens and was part of the Rams team that lost to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI.
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Tyler Polley went undrafted in 2022 after completing his five-year UConn career. He began his professional career in Greece before eventually making his way to the G League.
Polley appeared in 29 games with the College Park Skyhawks in 2025-26. He averaged 6.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 20.2 minutes per game while shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from 3-point range.
Following stops with the Indiana Mad Ants, Sioux Falls Skyforce and College Park Skyhawks, Polley will now continue his G League career in Maine.
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