SALT LAKE CITY – Mike Conley’s long wait is over.
Conley, who has been one of the NBA’s leading playmakers for more than a decade, is heading to his first NBA All-Star game this Sunday in Atlanta.
Utah Jazz guard will replace Phoenix Devin Booker guard in the game, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced on Friday. In addition to being in the game, Conley will also replace Booker in the 3-point competition that will take place before the game.
Conley will be Utah’s fourth representative at the mid-season annual showcase, joining Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell and coach Quin Snyder.
Mitchell and Conley will be teammates in the game – playing for Team Durrant – but will face each other in the 3-point match. Conley is throwing 42% of the 3-point line this season.
The veteran point guard has averaged 16.1 points and 5.7 assists this season and has been an analytical darling, with several advanced statistics that rank him as one of the league’s most impacting players.
“I am very happy to be mentioned in the conversation again and really doing it my way – not trying to score 40 points per game and not trying to make 20 shots,” said Conley last month.
Conley has long been considered one of the best players who has ever made an All-Star game. And yes, this is a distinction that he is happy to put aside.
“I prefer to abandon that label – that would mean that I have achieved the goal of being an All-Star,” said Conley.
Mainly because honor came from playing the way he always did.
“I’m doing this in a way that I know I can affect the game and be selfless and efficient, play defense and be the player I have always been,” said Conley. “Being seen as an All-Star is really cool.”