Anthony Edwards gives Mike Conley his flowers after Wolves’ Game 1 win originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Minnesota already had the headlines on Monday night with Anthony Edwards returning from injury to help the Wolves beat San Antonio 104-102 in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.
But buried inside the postgame session was something quieter and equally worth paying attention to. Edwards, the 24-year-old superstar guard, was asked about his veteran teammate Mike Conley, and his answer stretched beyond a standard tribute.
Edwards went back to his childhood to make the point he wanted to make, and the sincerity of it came through clearly.
Edwards wants people to remember who Mike Conley was before they write him off
“Mike Conley was an All-Star in the NBA,” Edwards said. “I think people forget about that. Once upon a time, he was one of the best point guards in the league. I always tell him that you used to be one of my favorite players. When I played 2K, I played with you.”
More NBA news: Austin Reaves sends clear 3-word message to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder
Mike Conley, 38, has been in the NBA since 2007. He spent 12 seasons as the face of the Memphis Grizzlies franchise before moving to Utah and eventually joining Minnesota.
His lone All-Star selection came in 2021, after more than a decade of steady, elite production that often went underappreciated because Memphis rarely competed for titles.
Anthony Edwards on Mike Conley: “Mike Conley was an All-Star in the NBA. I think people forget about that. Once upon a time, he was one of the best point guards in the league. I always tell him that you used to be one of my favorite players. When I played 2K, I played with you.” pic.twitter.com/11RXzkcUmi
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 5, 2026
He’s in a backup role with the Wolves now, coming off the bench to provide experience and floor spacing in tight games.
Conley acknowledged Edwards’ return after the game, putting the moment in perspective.
“Nobody expected him to play,” Conley told reporters. “It was just his level of commitment to the game. Not just to the game, but to his teammates. It showed a lot.”
That was an exchange between the two, in different rooms at different moments.
More NBA news:
How Cleveland’s crowd gave Jarrett Allen a moment he didn’t think was his
JJ Redick already sounds like a coach managing expectations vs. OKC
Austin Reaves sends clear 3-word message to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder
Steve Kerr’s Warriors decision is no longer just a basketball decision