Wakil Atig
Sports Writer
Memphis Grizzlies guard, Mike Conley is arguably the most underrated player of his time. Since being part of the same draft class as Kevin Durant, Marc Gasol, Joakim Noah, and Al Horford in 2007, Conley has always been the underdog despite being drafted at number 4 by the Boston Celtics.
Since entering the league, Conley has been as consistent as any other player at his position. He has what many may call a small man’s version of Tim Duncan play style.
Conley does not do any crazy tricks with the ball, but knows how to get to his sweet spots on the court with grace. He relies on fundamentals to get baskets unlike most guards of his era.
In his 12-year career Conley has led the Grizzlies to 7 straight playoff appearances including a 2011 upset win against the top seeded San Antonio Spurs. The Grizzlies entered that series as the 8thseed with little expectations from the media to win.
After more than a decade, Conley has accomplished a feat that places him in the history books with other legendary names. All thanks to his tenacity, and his dedication to remain humble.
It was Conley’s floor generalship that carried the Grizzlies in that series, leading to their heroic victory.
Conley is also responsible for leading the Grizzlies legendary “Core 4” consisting of himself, Marc Gasol, Tony Allen, and Zach Randolph. That group was arguably the best collective group of role players during their era.
Of course, they did not achieve what other teams like the Spurs and Celtics did, but they had a solid tenure.
Despite his consistency over the course of his career, Conley has surprisingly never made an all-star team appearance. It can be determined by his play style.
Since Conley does not bring the excitement to the game like a Kyrie Irving, does not play with the passion of a Russell Westbrook, and he does not command the crowd with an unbelievable shooting ability like Stephen Curry. He sticks to the basic fundamentals of the game, and that can be a bit boring for his position.
For his career, Conley averages an unanimated 15 points, 6 assists, and 3 rebounds per game.
For the 2018-19 season so far, he averages 21 points,6 assists and 3 rebounds per game. Despite the previous rumor that he could be traded at the deadline along with teammate Marc Gasol, Conley remained poised throughout the season.
Following Gasol’s departure at the trade deadline, Conley has produced seven games of 20+ points, along with two games of 30+ points and one 40-point game. It was the first time in his 12-year career in which he has scored 40 points in a game.
Even though the Grizzlies are not in playoff contention this season, Conley has kept his spirit up. He is the last player remaining from the “Core 4” and is eager about what the future may hold for the organization. He has started all but 6 games this season after missing most of last season with Achilles and heel injuries. Although the Grizzlies’ playoff hopes are nonexistent, they hope to land some promising talent in the upcoming 2019 Draft.
With only a few games remaining in the season, Conley has entered the record books for the Grizzlies as he becomes the all-time franchise leader in points, assists, steals, and 3-pointers made for the organization. This is big for Conley and shows that consistency can override hype in most cases.
Conley may not have won a championship or even made an all-star team, but he gave it his all every night that he suited up for his team.
He now joins the company of NBA greats such as Reggie Miller and LeBron James with that accomplishment.
Corey Shaw, a senior elementary education major from Jackson, Miss. said, “Mike Conley does not get the respect he deserves. He’s the most underrated point guard in the league. I feel like he doesn’t get the credit he deserves because he does not play with other great players around him. Plus, he’s a pass first point guard and that’s not exciting at his position.”
Trey Watson also praises Conley’s skills as a point guard.
“Mike Conley is a great guard. He can get his teammates involved, he can score, and he makes smart decisions with the ball. I feel like he’s underrated in the league and he should be an all-star with the talent he possesses,” said Watson, a sophomore business major from Las Vegas, Nevada.
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