He was ” surprised » to win this trophy which does not really obsess him. “ Honestly, I don't expect anything from it. I don't expect to be recognized, to be rewarded “, book Mike Conley. For the second time in his career, the Wolves leader won the Twyman-Stokes Trophy for best teammate. A reward which, however, does not lack meaning for him.
“ Receiving an award of this nature and magnitude means much more than the game, more than basketball. It means the kind of person, gamer you are, the kind of compassion you have, the kind of competitive nature you have towards the game, and how you can effectively change the people around you for the better and have a positive impact on people », appreciates the veteran.
But in practice, what does it mean to be a “good teammate”? According to Mike Conley, this notion is primarily linked to his personality, the way he was raised and the way he treats people.
Invite a teammate to eat
“ I guide by doing a whole bunch of different things. This could be by setting an example, speaking up, inviting a player to eat when they are down, or checking to make sure everything is okay. Ultimately, guys take away that I put them above me at all times, and it's obvious guys like being around people like that », Lists Mike Conley.
According to the latter, the most important aspect is the “ empathy » and a continuous opening onto the other. “ Obviously, we were all raised differently, we come from different areas, we've seen different things, so I try to dissect that with each guy. How to talk to Rudy Gobert? He comes from another country. How did he grow up? I do not know. How to talk to Ant (Anthony Edwards) ? He's from Georgia, and how can I talk to him differently than KAT (Karl-Anthony Towns) ? »
In short, as he says, “ everyone has their idiosyncrasies, they can be spoken to differently or guided differently, and I have the ability to recognize that with each person and connect with everyone. » Qualities once again recognized by his peers.
