Bye Bye Mike

We hardly knew you.

Mike Conley Jr is no longer on the Grizzlies team.

Don't worry we didn't trade our #4 draft pick. He just prefers to be known as Michael Conley. No 'Junior' jokes (I can't imagine that would be good for a rookie on this team anyway). No 'be like Mike' comments. No 'Hey Mikey he likes it' quips. It is serious, adult and proper Michael if you please.

This may help him avoid some small amount of rookie hazing but not a lot. Maybe he just figured that Mike Conley Jr was too big a mouthful and would take too long to say for a player as fast as he is. Maybe he chose Michael instead of Mike because he didn't want his name confused with Mike Miller and I really can't imagine Michael Miller on the Grizzlies anyway.

I don't know why he wants to be called Michael other than it represents his new professional status. Two years ago he was in high school. Last year he was a freshman in college. Now he is a man plying his trade and putting his skills up against the best players in the world. Working in a man's world he wants a man's name. He's no longer a kid.

Remember that if you see him carrying donuts to morning shoot arounds and lugging luggage out of veterans cars.