Ranking the Top 10 players in the Nuggets-Timberwolves series
By Ben Grunert
10) Mike Conley
Mike Conley rounds out the list, beating out several solid contenders for the tenth and final spot.
This final spot could have gone to Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, or even Kyle Anderson. However, Conley gets the nod for a few different reasons.
First and foremost, the 36-year-old point guard has served as the perfect veteran for the Timberwolves. From mentoring Anthony Edwards to keeping Minnesota’s offense organzied, Conley has used his 17 years of NBA experience to make a lasting impact on all of his teammates.
Conley recently won his second Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award. The seasoned vet has also won the Sportsmanship Award a record four times.
Conley talked to NBA TV about winning his second Teammate of the Year award, reflecting on the special impact he wants to leave on people.
"I don’t want people to remember me for basketball. I want them to tell stories about what kind of guy I was, what kind of person I was. The interaction they had with me one time at an airport or a gas station or something like that. That’s way more important to me than anything. Hopefully, my kids will take that with them…"
- Mike Conley
Conley’s value as an outstanding teammate cannot be overstated, but the floor general also shot the ball at an extremely efficient clip this season. Averaging 11.4 points and 5.9 assists, Conley shot a career-high 44.2% from three and a career-high 91.1% from the free throw line.
Many NBA fans have forgotten about Conley and his steady presence, but true diehards know the kind of impact the former All-Star can still make.