Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star reports that Michael Conley is staying prepared, despite the fact that he hasn't been on the floor through two games of the regular season.
Conley, who was still on the court nearly 45 minutes after his teammates had departed from their morning shootaround, is getting the majority of his work before, during and after practice because playing time has been sparse for the No. 4 pick in the summer's draft.
"This is where I'm getting all my work in," Conley said. "Of course I would love to be out there, but it's something right now that this team is in a good position. . . . I'm fine with the guys that are playing ahead of me. I'm trying to learn as much as I can while I'm on the bench."
Even though Conley is probably disappointed by not playing, he's not letting it affect how he practices or relates to his teammates and coaches.
Despite the high expectations of being the No. 4 pick, Conley has remained level-headed and keeps a positive attitude. Iavaroni said the rookie is usually one of the first players to arrive at practice and is routinely one of the last ones off the court.
"He's a young kid and you see what he's willing to do," the Grizzlies coach said. "To me, he's going to be a success because he's a hard worker. I think he's been hungry in practice. He's ready on the bench."
Over on SLAM Online, Nick Tuths lists Conley among his under-the-radar guys to keep an eye on during the onslaught of Kobe trade rumors, Knick-related fiascos and officiating turmoil. A brief snippet of what was said:
Conley is already (yeah I said it) one of the best ball handlers in the NBA. Even if he struggles at first, to get minutes with Damon Stoudamire and Kyle Lowry on the roster, expect him to force himself into the class of Deron and CP3 as the best young Points in the NBA.
Finally, over on Buzzer Beater, Damon Agnos wants to know why Conley hasn't been playing in his pregame writeup on the upcoming meeting between the Sonics and the Grizz. Fortunately, Chip was there to let him in on the inside scoop.
Next time could we get some links about Michael Conley?
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