March 15, 2024 • 40 mins
Chris Haynes and Marc Stein are joined by Timberwolves PG Mike Conley Jr to discuss their pursuit of the top seed in the Western Conference while Karl Anthony-Towns remains out with a knee injury. They also touch on how he began shooting with his left-hand despite being right-handed and one of the most impressive streaks in the league currently held by Conley.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to this League Uncut in the rule of twenty
four hour NBA News. This's you love, Chris Haynes. It's
so time, work Stein, It's so time. This League Uncut
is underway and on fire. This should be a good one.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
This is a very good day for our humble little podcast,
Mark Stein here with Chris Haynes, this League Uncut, and
we have a special guest, a former All Star, a
beloved teammate wherever he's been, and a veteran the most
important part, Chris Haynes, a veteran of my all lefty team.
(00:48):
Yet another left hander makes his way onto the pot.
Except the word on the streets, the streets say that
our guest is actually a natural righty. I hope you
can clear this up because I've always looked at him
as lefty. But he's got that righty floater that does
lend credence to what the streets are saying. So we're
going to straighten that out as well. Let's do it
(01:08):
now with the one and only Mike Conley Junior from
the Minnesota Timberwolves. Mister Conley, it is great to see you,
great to have you.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
On with us.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Hey, Hey, thank you guys, appreciate you'all having me today.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
First things first, let's start with, I guess the obvious,
the natural question for any Minnesota Timberwolf at this point,
how are you guys coping so far life without Cat?
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Oh Man, It's definitely definitely tough. You know, we were
playing at such a high level and just had a
really good rhythm with all our guys healthy and playing together.
And to lose a guy like that, you know, it
just you feel bad for him all the work he's
put in this season to improve himself, and but you
also feel back for your team because you want to
have every you know, everybody healthy going down the stretch,
(01:52):
and we're just you know, trying to make make do
what we what we can. You know, right now, nobody
individually can can do what Kat can do, so we
kind of do it, you know, together as a unit.
And I think the last few nights we've had, you know,
some some positives in that direction, Mike.
Speaker 5 (02:10):
As you go through this this stretch of the season
where guys are trying to get ready for the playoffs,
and obviously you would like to have Cat. I don't
know if you've seen the report, but I reported it here.
And I also reported on T and T about how
the Denver Nuggets skip their White House meeting because they
(02:31):
they had a white House meeting scheduled today before seeing
you guys, and now they're bypassing that because that game
against you guys, I believe on March nineteenth is is
so important. That's something they didn't they didn't anticipate when
they rescheduled that meeting. So when you hear that, and
when you hear teams taking you seriously, like, what what
(02:53):
came to mind when you when you heard about that?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
Yeah, I think just that you know that, you know,
teams look at the schedule and they know when they
play the Timberwolves now, and and especially if you're up
you know that one through four or five seed, you
got so much competition right there that you know, you're
always kind of keeping an eye open on who you
got and what's coming up and what those games might mean.
And obviously it's gonna mean a lot for them, so
(03:19):
it's gonna mean a lot for us, and uh we're
excited to, uh, you know, take on that challenge when
that you know that day happens and we get there.
But I'm sure that you know they're coaching, their players
made the decision it's best for them to get ready
to play a big game.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Mike, you're obviously one of the leaders of this team
and you've seen it all at this point in your
NBA career, so you know how this stuff works. And
as good as you guys have been during the regular season,
people want to see what the Wolves can do in
the playoffs and it probably won't be until the postseason
(03:54):
until you guys can kind of get your full appreciation
and rescispect. How much do you guys as a group
talk about that or acknowledge it in any way? How
how real is that for the guys in that locker room.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
You know, we don't talk too much too much about it, man,
but honestly, uh, I think it's kind of you know,
what's understood and need to be explained situation for us.
For Hey, we've where a team that is done well
so far, you know, early in the season, the latter
part of the season. Can we do it in the playoffs?
Can we win when it matters? Can we stay healthy
when it matters? Like all them things are gonna you know,
(04:33):
dictate people's outlooks on who we are and our legacies
are as players and so you know, winning, winning, Trump's
everything and hopefully we we uh, you know, we've we've
built up enough this year, gone through a lot you know,
ups and down, so where we're you know, we're all
around in the shape at the right point and and
uh be able to answer a lot of people's questions.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
Mike, you you've obviously you've you've got young talent that
you're around it with and you know, no other emerging
young star than Anthony Edwards. So Chris Hines, assistant coach
with the timber Wills, told me about just your approach
in mentoring Anthony Edwards, and he told me that, you know,
(05:19):
you're a player who's had, you know, stages of your
career where you were an All Star, you know, a
franchise player, and now you're you know, you're you're a starter.
But with what they with the mentorship type of role.
And he said, you've been very instrumental in teaching Anthony
(05:41):
Edwards how to slow his game down, how to how
to think the game. What what obligation do you feel
in the success of Anthony Edwards. What do you think
you owe it to not only yourself but what do
you think you owe it to the next generation and
particularly Anthony Edwards.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Well, I think a big reason why I was brought
in was was also to help that development of of
of and and you know he's for you know, so
far our relationship has been you know that of like
a you know, a brotherhood almost in the sense like
a little brother big brother situation. And trying to, you know,
do whatever I can, whether it's on or off the court,
(06:21):
to help him be the best player you can be,
learn the game at a different speed, like how to
make plays and different decisions that he can make in
certain tight tight windows or whatnot. So you know, he's
willing to learn, he's willing to listen. And yeah, obviously
I think that's it's part of my role as a
point guard in any any capacity to help my teammates,
(06:43):
help anybody who needs it. So hopefully I'm doing my
job and he continues to grow and grow as the
year goes on and his career goes on.
Speaker 5 (06:53):
And Mike, real quick follow up. When you're talking about
slowing the game down. I got a feel for what
you're talking about, but can you elaborate on that, like
when you're when you're talking to Anthony ver was about
having a game slow down?
Speaker 6 (07:07):
For what are you saying exactly?
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Yeah, you know, it's different ways to look at I mean,
like for for slowing the game down for me. For
him in particular, was you know, not don't get sped up.
I think he's a guy that, you know, if he
takes his time getting he can get to whatever spot
on the court he wants to. And and you know,
whether that's reading a double team situation where guys, you know,
(07:29):
teams are sending two people at you, and what reads
to make you know, following that decision. And you know,
some people just go out there and hoop and they
get away with it sometimes, but sometimes you have to
prep forward. You have to prepare for different coverages, prepare
for different things so that you know the game can
slow down and it you can already be knowing what
two options you're going to have before the play starts.
(07:51):
And he's just developing that side of the game. I
think for the majority of his life he's he's you know,
he's still probably always been better than everybody. So he's just, uh,
you just go out there and hoop. So we're trying
to give him that that that Mike Kindley side of
the the the basketball game, and the side that I
think you can take him to another level.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Really, I guess the only thing slowing him down these
days is getting out there for the opening tip. I
don't know what's going on there, but that seems to
be the only missing piece for him.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
I can't explain. I can't explain that one. We're looking
for him, we're drawing, drawing up the plays and all
kind of stuff, and you never know what he's doing.
So we just we just hope he's gonna be there
on time.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
You obviously were an in season arrival last season, so
you weren't there the whole ride. But from your perspective,
what is the big difference between this season's team and
last season's team? Why has this group been so much
more successful?
Speaker 4 (08:46):
Honestly, I think a lot of it has to do
with just the time, you know, time frame of summertime.
So now we've had a little bit more time to
prepare for a season together as a healthy unit. I
think the year before, they you know, Cat missing so
many games and many guys out the line up, the
trade like, it's a lot of different things that went
down to disrupt the you know, they could disrupt the team,
(09:06):
but you know, we we held together. Fast forward to
this season. I think guys, uh, you know, took it
upon themselves to to come to the season in great
shape from you know, their their overseas UH teams and
and all of us just you know, just just locked
in on a season that we're going to be you know,
we're gonna be different and defensively. It's it's probably been
(09:29):
the number one thing that everybody sees is you know,
how far and away better we are now that Rudy's
you know, doing what he does at the highest level
and guys are kind of building around him, and and
I think that's allowed us to have i mean closer,
closer games and have tighter you know finishes where we
can you know, give ourselves a chance to win a
lot of those. And so far we've done a good job.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
I mean, you obviously played with Rudy in Utah as
well as here with the Wolves, so you probably know
him as well as anybody behind closed doors.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
How mad was he about the All Star snub?
Speaker 2 (10:05):
And I know you've personally had to go through that
where there were years you probably felt like you were
an All Star and didn't get that call and then
you finally got that. How how mad is he that
he was not recognized? I think he should have been
an All Star. I mean, he was in my you know,
not that mine. You know, mine is just hypothetical, is
just one reporter's opinion. But when I scribbled out my
(10:27):
seven West reserves.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
He was on there. Yeah, you know, I think he
was upset. And I know, you know, all of us were,
you know, on our team. We all felt that he
was a guy that, you know, we wouldn't be in
the situation that we in without him. You know, we
felt that he was, you know, one of those one
of those pieces. And uh, but he's he's also a
guy that you know, once that something like that happens,
it makes him better. It makes them, you know, more
locked in and keyed in on, you know, what we're
(10:50):
doing as a team and and our goals as a team,
which he's always worried about. So I think it's gonna
do nothing but make him better. Right now, he's been
doing great, and uh, just hoping he's gonna continue to
do what he does.
Speaker 5 (11:02):
Mike, You've played in over thirty four thousand minutes played
in over a thousand games. And you know this has
been talked about, you know here and there no technicals
throughout your career, and you know I'm gonna bring that up.
I want you, I want you to. Can you give
us a master class and tell me, like what what
(11:23):
is the key? Because I I'm somebody who you know
in just in life my wife had contested that. Well
I'll go off, you know, I lose it, So like,
can you give a master class? Like, can you give
us a little glimpse on how you're able to keep composer?
And then secondly, Mike you talked about you know you're
(11:44):
trying to instill a little bit of Mike Conley into
Anthony Edwards. Well he has he is tied well, he
is tied for fourth in technicals this season with twelve.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
I'm not doing my job, brought I'll tell you, I'm
not doing my job.
Speaker 5 (12:02):
But no, how do you do it? How do you
do it? Like have you ever been close to getting
to tech? Like what is your mindset? Take us inside
your mindset? Because basketball, in any professional sports competitive man,
your emotions get into it. How have you kept your
composure throughout.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
You know Honestly, I don't really know. I think it's
just something that has come from my parents, the way
I was raised. And like I, you know, I get
mad enough to want to fight, but I never was
like a fighter. I never, you know, try to swing
on people and just have a you know, knee jerk
reactions to things. I was always, you know, kind of
a thinker. Let me think about the situation, like how
(12:40):
to get through it, how to get past it, like
were they wrong? Were they right? Was I tripping? Like,
you know, just trying to gauge it all at the
same time. And and I guess I've become good at it.
And uh, now, you know, now I don't even think
I'll maybe I'll get close this year.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
You can't get one. Now you've come this far. You
cannot get one.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Now we've gotten pretty close. We've got pretty close this year,
and I'm a little a little scared it might happen
soon if we keep going.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
I actually need to do some research.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
I gotta I gotta find like a historian who can
look this up. What are what is the most minutes
in most games in NBA history without getting a tech
I mean, you've got to be in the run.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
I don't even know how to put that.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
I mean, I would think so honestly, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
At this point, like you surely you want to you
want to retire without any don't you?
Speaker 3 (13:27):
At this point?
Speaker 4 (13:28):
At this at this point, I feel like I can
use it to my advantage. Now I can like talk
to the ref a little bit more higher levels of
volume and like aggression because they're afraid to get me
a tech you know, if they.
Speaker 6 (13:42):
Don't, they don't want to be the ones that don't
want to be the ones.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
So see that surprises me.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
I would think there would be a ref out there,
who hey, I'm going to give.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
There's a few out there. There's a few out there.
If I had the guests, I go, I cause name
on the spot. There is a couple of refs that
I would think would be about that business if if
it got to that point.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
I think that maybe maybe, but I think that it
would have to be like they wouldn't know who it
was they were calling the tech on and they turn
around and be like, oh damn, I bat. You know,
it would be one of those situations.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Do you think most refs know you have zero career tech.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
I honestly do I think, because that's like the one
thing they say to me is they like appreciate you
know me, you know, just to got so much respect
for you know, one another and whatever, and I'm like,
thank you, Like man, keep going, keep being the you know,
the guy you are. So I feel like they kind
of have you know, fallen into that that vibe I'm
just nice guy or so.
Speaker 6 (14:42):
Okay now with you being the two things. Mike.
Speaker 5 (14:46):
So, in twenty fourteen, you actually did receive a TECH,
but it was it was rescinded. It was against Sacramento,
but it was rescinded the very next day. Do you
remember what did you do to get that tech? And
how did you feel?
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Yeah? I remember it was something happened. Uh, I might
have shot a layup or got fouled or didn't get fouled, whatever,
the ball bounced out of bounds or something. I said, like,
you know, come on man, like like slapped my hand.
I literally that's all I said. It was like, come on, man,
slap my hands to get it like that, and kind
of turned around and started to walk up to the
(15:20):
free throw line and I heard a whistle and I
heard a tech like a Tech was being called, and
I still didn't know who they was calling it. I
thought it was calling somebody else, like somebody else did
something z Bo Tony all these other guys that do
that all the time. So and then I realized it
was pointing at me, and I was like, ain't no way,
I gotta tell you, it's got to be the wrong person.
So they called in and they got to rescind it,
(15:42):
and you know, it never happened.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
We're college in high school the same no.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
Text, Yeah yeah, college, high school never got close either
one of those. So I don't know, Man, what a
gentleman I guess?
Speaker 5 (15:54):
Man, hold on, I want to get before we move on.
I wanted to get a little deeper here. Can you
cuss out a ref right now and get away with it?
Speaker 6 (16:05):
Are there? Are there certain things you can get away
with it now that refs know the situation?
Speaker 4 (16:11):
See now I can. I can cuss, but not at them,
you know what I mean? Like I think like I'm
like just like talking to him, and I might roll
in a few of those words in there. It's a
little different than like me like running at them and
start calling them names and stuff like I'm not I'm
not doing that.
Speaker 5 (16:29):
Yeah, I get that, because you know, doing doing sidelines
for T and T. I've read across across Draymond, like
when Draymond picks up that first tech, Oh, he goes
off even more after that first tech, no, knowing that
the officials don't want to you know, they're gonna give
them leeway, they don't want to give that second Yeah.
(16:50):
So I was just curious, like you could get I
was curious things you could get away with right now.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Yeah, that's yeah. I can't get away with probably that
level of uh, but you know, yeah, I don't know.
I tried my best to utilize it to our advantage
a little bit.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
You recently came to terms with the Wolves on a
new contract extension. Congratulations, So obviously you know where your
home is going to be for the next two seasons
beyond this one, as you understand it. How close were
you to ending up with the Lakers at the trade
deadline rather than the Wolves. What did they tell you
(17:28):
behind the scenes that maybe we didn't know on the
public side.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
Of the fence. I honestly don't know how close that was.
I kind of had no idea anything kind of like
that was going down. To that that morning of the
day we got traded. But I think as it became
more and more serious, I think it was never I
was never really going to be a part of that
deal to La or is going to have to be
(17:55):
a three team deal, And obviously it ended up being that,
and each you know, team got who they wanted, uh
for that, you know, for that trade, and kind of
moved on from there. But like from my perspective, I
didn't know too much. I thought I had heard like
Clippers stuff, and obviously Lakers were in there a little bit,
but Minnesota was kind of like the the dark horse
(18:17):
that it was a far shot, it probably wouldn't happen,
and it ended up being the one that did.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
When you first heard Minnesota before you got on the
plane and actually switched teams, what did you think about
the fit?
Speaker 4 (18:31):
Honestly, I thought it was it reminded me a lot
of our Utah teams. Was you know, you shuffled a
couple of different pieces around and and we've got you know,
these young long defenders and Anthony Edwards and cat like this.
It just seemed like it was like a team that
was ready to kind of take a take a you know,
a turn and you really kind of hit the momentum
(18:53):
swing and I, you know, I wanted to be a
part of that. Obviously, resigning now kind of getting a
whole year to get accustomed to the guys and understand
my role and what I'm gonna do to provide what
I do for the team. And it's just, you know,
we fell in love with it and hopefully we continue
to build something here and give ourselves a good run
(19:15):
in ith.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
Mike, I want to ask you about your thoughts on
and D It seems like there is a for point
guards coming up into this league. It seems like they
have to be scoring point guards nowadays. And I look
at you as a hybrid, but I look at you
as an old school point guard as well when you're
(19:49):
when you're talking to younger players who are going to
be point guards in this in college or even to
the league, Like, is there a certain way that you
feel like point guards now they have to play or
do you feel like there is a Mike Conley type
player that can steal make his way to the league
and still get looked at like how you got looked at,
(20:12):
you know, back in your high school and college days.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Well, but yeah, I think you could have a little
bit of both there where you know, you got you're
gonna have guys that play a different style of basketball.
I play different style of basketball, you know, move a
little bit differently and not above the rim. Like my
game is predicated on different things as I can provide
or whatnot. And that's just me particularly, get the next
(20:36):
guy could be you know, their particular skill set at
six three or six fours and help them become who
they they become a little bit a little bit easier. So,
you know, the point guard position is I think it
will always kind of be a leadership position and be
able to understand the game and a high IQ level
and understanding you know, balance and all that. But uh,
the modern point guard needs to be able to score.
(20:58):
They need to be able to find them scores. And
like it's a lot of that, a lot of that's
happening now and and so it would be you know,
perfect point guard to me would be able to do
obviously a little bit of all that and at a
very elite level. And you know, this league is just
trending in that you know, scoring point guard. Uh, you
know air So you.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
Say it have to be so you know, because you know,
in the eighties and nineties, maybe even some of the
early two thousands you had past first point guard, they
were they were not scored. So you believe point guards
nowadays they do have to be somewhat of a dynamic
score to be able to.
Speaker 6 (21:37):
Make in this league.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
Yeah, uh, somewhat. You don't have to you know, be
Dame or a jar or anybody like that, but you have.
But you you know, you have to be able to
be official. You have to be able to score. You
have to be able to you know, score in different
ways and and depending on your roles. So I think
it'll be tough to crack a lot of rosters if
(21:58):
you can only you know, passed the ball and that's
and that's it, because you know, defenses can kind of
key in on that nowadays and take advantage. So yeah,
I think that's kind of where we're at with that, Mike.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
If I could, I want to go back to the
subject of All Star. When you got your All Star
nod and now years later when you reflect on it,
how big a deal is it if you didn't have
that on your resume, how much would that bother you
at this later stage of your career.
Speaker 4 (22:29):
Oh man, honestly, I think it. It would bother me,
bother me. I think it was something at the time
I was super grateful for and thankful for. But when
you're in the moment, you just think, like, finally I
did it. But I never thought about what it You know,
what I'd feel if I hadn't made it yet, And
(22:49):
you know, it'd be a bummer obviously, because there's a
lot of years that put in a lot of really
good work and you know a lot of positive things happening.
Didn't get that chance and always kind of got up
to the twelve hour, but never you know, got that call,
and so yeah, I can imagine you know, where where
I be, you know, think about that every night I
went to bed, you know, knowing that I never had
(23:09):
that opportunity.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
Mike, we think about not having an opportunity. When I
first came in the league, I was covering the Portland
Trail Blazers. That was my first four years in the
league covering the Blazers, and I got Greg Golden's last
year there and he didn't play that year, and so
I didn't get to build a relationship with him until
later on, like when he went to play for Miami
(23:32):
and I was able to develop a relationship. But uh, Mike,
that was truly like you know, when you talk about
players who had such of a has such of a talent,
had such of a bright future, but it was all
derailed due to injuries due to their body lacking. Like,
when you think of Greg Golden, you got to you
(23:53):
got to play with him. You guys are really good friends.
When you think of Greg Golden, you know what comes
to mind, you know, because obviously you know it's unfortunate
at the time we live in. You know, people label
players bus based off of injuries, when bus really should
(24:13):
mean like, okay, you didn't make it. You didn't play
to a standard when you were healthy, you know, not
due to an injury or whatever.
Speaker 6 (24:22):
But when you think of Greg, god, like.
Speaker 5 (24:24):
What could have been, Mike, what do you think what
could have been if his body cooperated?
Speaker 4 (24:30):
Yeah? Man, he's truthfully a special player, and I think
a lot of people knew that, and I think that's
why there was so much expectation for him. But and
people also know that, you know, the reason why he
is out the league was because the injury stuff, not
because you can't play the game of basketball or not
(24:51):
dominate when he was in the games, which I think
he was having some good years when he did get
on the court. So you know, it's tough. And you know,
actually saw him last week we played in Indie. But
he's a guy that you know, we grew up together.
We we've been around each other forever and he's been
along you know, we've been along each other's careers every
step of the way, and even to this day as
(25:13):
he's coaching and I'm still playing, you know, we're checking
in and seeing how we're doing, and you know, so
it's it's, uh, it's I just wish he could have
had the opportunities that I that I've had to play
this long, and you know, he would have done so
much more with it obviously with this talent. But yeah, man,
I just wish you would have had that same, that
same uh, you know, career.
Speaker 5 (25:33):
When you guys were in college, Mike, Ohio State, what
were some of the things you guys were talking about,
because obviously you guys knew you were going to play
at the next level, Like, what were some of the
the conversation you were guys that would have about just
your dreams and aspirations in the next leak, in the
next phase of your careers.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
Man, honestly, we were we were so different, Like we
were talking about probably anything other than the basketball, honestly,
like anything other then you know, what we're going to
be doing for our respective teams and what city we're
going to be playing in. Like, man, we're thinking about
video games and the next thing, and you know, it's
(26:12):
that time of your life. Everything is just kind of
going by so fast. And yeah, I mean it's we
were always pure coming into this thing, just like just
a green you know, just having a green approach to everything,
and it just kind of everything happens fast, and we just,
you know, never really had an opportunity to sit down
and think about our journey and where we're going to
(26:34):
be headed to and how much we're going to do
with it.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
I don't want to make you look too far into
the future because I know you're still playing and you
have years left now on your contract. So but the
minute you mentioned coaching with Greg that immediately made me wonder,
is coaching something that you think would interest you five
to ten years down the road, Because given the leadership
(27:01):
roles you've had as a player, that moved to coaching.
Speaker 4 (27:03):
Would Yeah. I've always said I kind of didn't want
to coach. But the older I've gotten, the the more
I'm like, Man, it's it's basically what I would be
really good at because I can still you know, imprint
my knowledge on guys and players and you know, put
them in best situations to succeed. And but you know,
(27:24):
you said, I hope it's a little bit down the road.
I got to work on, you know, practicing be a
coach for my little you know, son's basketball team or
something like that first kind to get an idea of
what it's like, and and then you know, who knows,
you know, maybe I'll maybe I'll get there one day.
Speaker 5 (27:41):
Mike, is required from time to time that you pick
up a technical for your team as a coach to
ignite something.
Speaker 6 (27:50):
Can you do that?
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Yeah, you will get a tech as a coach.
Speaker 4 (27:56):
Yeah, that's that would be the deal. Yeah, I know that,
And that might be the and why I'm a little
reluctant to say yes about coaching. Take that technical street.
Speaker 5 (28:13):
So, Mike, when you think of what you guys have left,
obviously you want to bring cat into the fold. And
and I'm being honest, Like, when I think about teams
as ready to take that step into being championship contended teams,
most of the times those teams have to go through
the hurdles of postseason pitfalls and learn from that and
move on. I mean, there have been a few teams
(28:34):
that just bypass that went all the way, But for
the Temples, are you guys in a situation where you
feel like, you know, this is you know, we've been
number one in the Western Conference for a long time.
Not right now, but we've been up there for a
long time. Is this a situation where it's like, man,
we won a championship this year, or do you feel
(28:56):
like this is all part of the process that we
need to go, you know, just we're still playing and
figuring things out.
Speaker 4 (29:02):
Like, yeah, I think it's you know, you know, we're
we're just a team of you know, I mean, I
don't even know how we how would I describe it?
I don't know, man, Honestly, you know, we're just you know,
a group of guys that are you know, we understand
that first seed, second seed, third seed, like it matters
(29:25):
in the playoffs, it matters who your matchups are against.
We understand we have to have, you know, postseason success,
you know, to be taken serious. We understand that you
know it post these success is super hard and not
given every year that you're gonna you know, be in
the first round and get out of the first round
or make the playoffs. And you say, yes, we do
(29:47):
want to build as a year ago as years go on,
but not all of us have a lot of time
to you know, build it all the way up and
see how we go in five or six years. So
there is a sense of like urgency that is there
that you know, it's kind of my urgency is kind
of Rudy's urgency, the older guys urgency if like, hey
we can, why don't we just win it now? You know,
why don't we just try now? And that's been our
(30:10):
cold anyway. And we don't want to have to wait
another two or three years just because the guide says
we should wait two or three more years until you know,
you get taken serious as a contender, contended for a championship.
So we'll just see how, you know, things shape out.
Obviously we're gonna be ready to go.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
Yeah, you know, your radio guy Alan Horton keeps this
running Tallly of this amazing stat that this season, the
Wolves have led the West for almost one hundred days,
and in the previous thirty four seasons of the franchise,
the Wolves only led the West for ten days total
in that whole time. And we sat down, Chris and
I we did a podcast with your coach, Chris Finch
(30:49):
at All Star weekend in Indianapolis, and I had to
be that annoying guy who pointed out that the Wolves
as a franchise haven't won a playoff series in two
twenty years. They've only won two playoff rounds in their
whole existence. So everybody's going to bring that stuff up,
you know, Chris says that kind of your guys approaches
(31:14):
that past history doesn't really apply to us. This is
a new team, a new group. But how do you
tune that out when annoying reporters.
Speaker 4 (31:23):
Like me are just going to keep it right? You know,
it's it's it's okay, man. We tune out a lot.
We've learned how to you know, tune out you know
any you know, writers, comments, opinions you know about our
our squad, about the direction. Now serious are and serious
we truthfully are, And what you know the difference between
(31:44):
our teams of last year, this year or two years before.
You know, it's all it's all comes in, it comes
and goes, and I think a lot of us are
handling really well. I think we're handling honestly. The best
thing I think we're handling is is the you know,
there's the jump and success from being you know, with
games are used to be seen as from Minnesota as
opposed to what we're doing now. Is has caused a
(32:05):
lot of you know, positive attention around our team and
in the cities, the people and you can just tell
every time we walk in the story like that, people
yell like number one in the West like stuff like that,
like because it's all new and it's exciting. But we've
done a good job of not you know, letting that
affect how we approach today and how we approach you know,
getting better as a team, which we're gonna need, you know,
(32:26):
to have that kind of mentality to sustain any kind
of you know, level of play that we've built.
Speaker 6 (32:33):
That's done.
Speaker 5 (32:33):
I gotta I gotta ask Mike this one more time
because I think everybody is intrigued still with the guys
lack of I mean, excuse him, not lack the guy's
abundance of composure.
Speaker 6 (32:45):
I should say, Mike, I want you to dice.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Why are you trying to You're trying to go to
him into gett in the next game.
Speaker 6 (32:54):
I gotta I gotta ask about that. I want him
to di st this play.
Speaker 5 (32:58):
And I want you to take me inside your head, like,
because most people in this situation now I'm about to
bring up, they will react.
Speaker 6 (33:06):
And you did it.
Speaker 5 (33:07):
The play and I'm talking about is the game against
the Brooklyn Nets not too long ago. We're down the stretch,
down the stretch of the game. You guys are up
up big already, and you shot at three with twenty
something seconds. Dennis Struder comes over and pushes you, gets
mad that you shot it instead of letting the ball
(33:27):
a set and getting I believe a shot clock violation
at that time.
Speaker 6 (33:30):
And I looked at you.
Speaker 5 (33:33):
Most players immediately once they're get pushed, most people were like,
just just push back, like it's a reaction. You push back.
Can you take me inside? Like, how do even in
that instance, how do you just keep your composent And
don't get me wrong, it ain't no pump.
Speaker 6 (33:49):
I'm not saying, yeah, I'm not saying that.
Speaker 5 (33:52):
I'm saying like, you know what I mean, like you
you're level headed, like so in that situation, how do
you still keep your comment?
Speaker 4 (34:01):
It happened so fast. Honestly, I don't think I had
even real time to react to too much. I just,
you know, one, I was like, that's I think that's
a foul. Like I'm thinking, like that's an a one,
like something I don't even know. I really want that's
my promise with here's a foul. But I don't think that,
you know, at the time, I honestly like I didn't
(34:22):
know what to do with the ball, and man, people
everybody's kind of playing hot potato with like you shoot it,
you shoot it, I don't want it. I was like, man,
I'll just shoot it from wherever I'm at, just because
I know we got like twenty six twenty five seconds
left and just get the shot off. I don't really
care about make or missing it. But you know, that happened,
and I was just like, man, uh, you know, you know,
just just crazy. I wouldn't. I wasn't prepared for it,
(34:43):
which is probably why I didn't react as uh as
quickly as you know some other people may.
Speaker 5 (34:49):
Being a veteran in that situation, you know, there's they
have all these unwritten rules of you know, when do
you shoot it? Do you let the ball go out?
Like where do you stay? I believe, you know, I
played college ball. I didn't play in the NBA, but
I believe, Man, the game is over when the game
is over. But I know most people in the NBA
don't take on that type of mindset. What is your
(35:11):
mindset in that type of situation in the closing.
Speaker 6 (35:15):
Of a game.
Speaker 4 (35:16):
Yeah, I think as far as you know, I've always
viewed it as I've played until like that last you know,
twenty four seconds basically, you know when that if you
have the ball, you know, under the shot clock, you know,
the shot clocks off, stuff like that, we held the ball,
if there was like a two three second difference in
that you kind of held the ball and you know,
dropped it and went the other way. But anything kind
(35:38):
of like before that time, I think it was just
always you just played and and they finished out the game,
and uh it went from there. So it's it's it's
it's you know, I don't know if it's a trendy thing, right,
now that people are getting upset about it, but it
has been coming up a lot lately, and uh, just
I am not so used to kind of seeing that
(36:00):
haven't played the last sixteen seventeen years, Chris.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
I've got like seven or eight more questions for this man,
but we gotta let him go unfortunately too long, but
I'm gonna try to sneak. I'm gonna try to sneak
in one or two more and then we're gonna let
him go. As I mentioned off the top, you know
you have appeared more than once on the annual all
lefty team that I assemble. But I think you are
(36:26):
a natural righty if I have the story correct. So
just in your words, explain your left handedness right handedness?
Speaker 3 (36:34):
Maybe you're amphibious.
Speaker 4 (36:36):
Is amphibious?
Speaker 3 (36:37):
Jacks likes to say it like that.
Speaker 2 (36:41):
You would please explain for us how you see yourself.
Speaker 4 (36:46):
I am a right handed person by nature. I played
basketball left handed, which allows me to truthfully kind of
be amidextrous in basketball. But if you give me a pencil,
it's right with my left hand, I'll you know I
have no chance compared to the right. So it's it's
(37:06):
unique because you know you talk about the right hand
floater and all the right handed shots I shoot. You know,
obviously it's my dominant hand, so a lot of things
I do with my left hand is like people shooting
with their off hands. So you know, I should get
more credit for when I make a lefty three, then
I do a right handed floater because I'm flying blind
on left side.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
How old were you when this became the case, when
you became a left hand.
Speaker 4 (37:32):
Dominant Honestly, I've always been. It started probably when I
was four or five, when I would try to, you know,
shoot a ball and a big goal, I would like
hoist it from my left side of my bodies for
whatever reason, and I kind of stuck with me and
and but then as I got older, I knew that
I was because I could take like five days off
of basketball and come back and shoot two shots left
(37:55):
handed and just airball and they shoot it too strong,
and then get it in my right hand and it
just feels so natural, like as if I haven't missed
the day at work. And I was like, I think
I might be like truthfully right handed in basketball. I've
just I got to learn this left side now that
I've done it for so long, so I just didn't
give up on it and have done decent with it.
Speaker 6 (38:15):
Sorry, sign Mike Conley.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
He is as a left hander, and I've I'm gonna
go out on a limb and say he takes more
shots with his left hand than his right hand over the.
Speaker 4 (38:30):
Course of an NBA season.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Bold, bold statement from me some high level analytics there.
All right, sir, well, we know you got you got.
You got two games coming up against your old team
in Utah. You still have three games left in the
regular season with the defending champions from Denver, so a
lot still to do here in the regular season. Wishing
(38:52):
you and the Wolves success and good luck in the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (38:57):
And thanks him ill for doing Thank you, Thank you
guys so much.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
All right, there he goes everyone, Mike Conley from the
Minnesota Timberwolves.
Speaker 3 (39:05):
That will do it for.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
This edition of this league uncut. As always, remember please
follow us, rate the show, review the show. We'd love
to get a five star rating from you. Apple Podcasts,
Spotify podcast, wherever you get your pods.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
Haynes Stein. We'll be back together again very very soon.
Thanks everybody for listening, and that'll do it for us.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
See you next time.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
This league, uncut is and iHeartRadio production Chris Haynes and
Mark Stein.
Speaker 4 (40:00):
I didn't
Welcome to this League Uncut in the rule of twenty
four hour NBA News. This's you love, Chris Haynes. It's
so time, work Stein, It's so time. This League Uncut
is underway and on fire. This should be a good one.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
This is a very good day for our humble little podcast,
Mark Stein here with Chris Haynes, this League Uncut, and
we have a special guest, a former All Star, a
beloved teammate wherever he's been, and a veteran the most
important part, Chris Haynes, a veteran of my all lefty team.
(00:48):
Yet another left hander makes his way onto the pot.
Except the word on the streets, the streets say that
our guest is actually a natural righty. I hope you
can clear this up because I've always looked at him
as lefty. But he's got that righty floater that does
lend credence to what the streets are saying. So we're
going to straighten that out as well. Let's do it
(01:08):
now with the one and only Mike Conley Junior from
the Minnesota Timberwolves. Mister Conley, it is great to see you,
great to have you.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
On with us.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Hey, Hey, thank you guys, appreciate you'all having me today.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
First things first, let's start with, I guess the obvious,
the natural question for any Minnesota Timberwolf at this point,
how are you guys coping so far life without Cat?
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Oh Man, It's definitely definitely tough. You know, we were
playing at such a high level and just had a
really good rhythm with all our guys healthy and playing together.
And to lose a guy like that, you know, it
just you feel bad for him all the work he's
put in this season to improve himself, and but you
also feel back for your team because you want to
have every you know, everybody healthy going down the stretch,
(01:52):
and we're just you know, trying to make make do
what we what we can. You know, right now, nobody
individually can can do what Kat can do, so we
kind of do it, you know, together as a unit.
And I think the last few nights we've had, you know,
some some positives in that direction, Mike.
Speaker 5 (02:10):
As you go through this this stretch of the season
where guys are trying to get ready for the playoffs,
and obviously you would like to have Cat. I don't
know if you've seen the report, but I reported it here.
And I also reported on T and T about how
the Denver Nuggets skip their White House meeting because they
(02:31):
they had a white House meeting scheduled today before seeing
you guys, and now they're bypassing that because that game
against you guys, I believe on March nineteenth is is
so important. That's something they didn't they didn't anticipate when
they rescheduled that meeting. So when you hear that, and
when you hear teams taking you seriously, like, what what
(02:53):
came to mind when you when you heard about that?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
Yeah, I think just that you know that, you know,
teams look at the schedule and they know when they
play the Timberwolves now, and and especially if you're up
you know that one through four or five seed, you
got so much competition right there that you know, you're
always kind of keeping an eye open on who you
got and what's coming up and what those games might mean.
And obviously it's gonna mean a lot for them, so
(03:19):
it's gonna mean a lot for us, and uh we're
excited to, uh, you know, take on that challenge when
that you know that day happens and we get there.
But I'm sure that you know they're coaching, their players
made the decision it's best for them to get ready
to play a big game.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Mike, you're obviously one of the leaders of this team
and you've seen it all at this point in your
NBA career, so you know how this stuff works. And
as good as you guys have been during the regular season,
people want to see what the Wolves can do in
the playoffs and it probably won't be until the postseason
(03:54):
until you guys can kind of get your full appreciation
and rescispect. How much do you guys as a group
talk about that or acknowledge it in any way? How
how real is that for the guys in that locker room.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
You know, we don't talk too much too much about it, man,
but honestly, uh, I think it's kind of you know,
what's understood and need to be explained situation for us.
For Hey, we've where a team that is done well
so far, you know, early in the season, the latter
part of the season. Can we do it in the playoffs?
Can we win when it matters? Can we stay healthy
when it matters? Like all them things are gonna you know,
(04:33):
dictate people's outlooks on who we are and our legacies
are as players and so you know, winning, winning, Trump's
everything and hopefully we we uh, you know, we've we've
built up enough this year, gone through a lot you know,
ups and down, so where we're you know, we're all
around in the shape at the right point and and
uh be able to answer a lot of people's questions.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
Mike, you you've obviously you've you've got young talent that
you're around it with and you know, no other emerging
young star than Anthony Edwards. So Chris Hines, assistant coach
with the timber Wills, told me about just your approach
in mentoring Anthony Edwards, and he told me that, you know,
(05:19):
you're a player who's had, you know, stages of your
career where you were an All Star, you know, a
franchise player, and now you're you know, you're you're a starter.
But with what they with the mentorship type of role.
And he said, you've been very instrumental in teaching Anthony
(05:41):
Edwards how to slow his game down, how to how
to think the game. What what obligation do you feel
in the success of Anthony Edwards. What do you think
you owe it to not only yourself but what do
you think you owe it to the next generation and
particularly Anthony Edwards.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Well, I think a big reason why I was brought
in was was also to help that development of of
of and and you know he's for you know, so
far our relationship has been you know that of like
a you know, a brotherhood almost in the sense like
a little brother big brother situation. And trying to, you know,
do whatever I can, whether it's on or off the court,
(06:21):
to help him be the best player you can be,
learn the game at a different speed, like how to
make plays and different decisions that he can make in
certain tight tight windows or whatnot. So you know, he's
willing to learn, he's willing to listen. And yeah, obviously
I think that's it's part of my role as a
point guard in any any capacity to help my teammates,
(06:43):
help anybody who needs it. So hopefully I'm doing my
job and he continues to grow and grow as the
year goes on and his career goes on.
Speaker 5 (06:53):
And Mike, real quick follow up. When you're talking about
slowing the game down. I got a feel for what
you're talking about, but can you elaborate on that, like
when you're when you're talking to Anthony ver was about
having a game slow down?
Speaker 6 (07:07):
For what are you saying exactly?
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Yeah, you know, it's different ways to look at I mean,
like for for slowing the game down for me. For
him in particular, was you know, not don't get sped up.
I think he's a guy that, you know, if he
takes his time getting he can get to whatever spot
on the court he wants to. And and you know,
whether that's reading a double team situation where guys, you know,
(07:29):
teams are sending two people at you, and what reads
to make you know, following that decision. And you know,
some people just go out there and hoop and they
get away with it sometimes, but sometimes you have to
prep forward. You have to prepare for different coverages, prepare
for different things so that you know the game can
slow down and it you can already be knowing what
two options you're going to have before the play starts.
(07:51):
And he's just developing that side of the game. I
think for the majority of his life he's he's you know,
he's still probably always been better than everybody. So he's just, uh,
you just go out there and hoop. So we're trying
to give him that that that Mike Kindley side of
the the the basketball game, and the side that I
think you can take him to another level.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Really, I guess the only thing slowing him down these
days is getting out there for the opening tip. I
don't know what's going on there, but that seems to
be the only missing piece for him.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
I can't explain. I can't explain that one. We're looking
for him, we're drawing, drawing up the plays and all
kind of stuff, and you never know what he's doing.
So we just we just hope he's gonna be there
on time.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
You obviously were an in season arrival last season, so
you weren't there the whole ride. But from your perspective,
what is the big difference between this season's team and
last season's team? Why has this group been so much
more successful?
Speaker 4 (08:46):
Honestly, I think a lot of it has to do
with just the time, you know, time frame of summertime.
So now we've had a little bit more time to
prepare for a season together as a healthy unit. I
think the year before, they you know, Cat missing so
many games and many guys out the line up, the
trade like, it's a lot of different things that went
down to disrupt the you know, they could disrupt the team,
(09:06):
but you know, we we held together. Fast forward to
this season. I think guys, uh, you know, took it
upon themselves to to come to the season in great
shape from you know, their their overseas UH teams and
and all of us just you know, just just locked
in on a season that we're going to be you know,
we're gonna be different and defensively. It's it's probably been
(09:29):
the number one thing that everybody sees is you know,
how far and away better we are now that Rudy's
you know, doing what he does at the highest level
and guys are kind of building around him, and and
I think that's allowed us to have i mean closer,
closer games and have tighter you know finishes where we
can you know, give ourselves a chance to win a
lot of those. And so far we've done a good job.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
I mean, you obviously played with Rudy in Utah as
well as here with the Wolves, so you probably know
him as well as anybody behind closed doors.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
How mad was he about the All Star snub?
Speaker 2 (10:05):
And I know you've personally had to go through that
where there were years you probably felt like you were
an All Star and didn't get that call and then
you finally got that. How how mad is he that
he was not recognized? I think he should have been
an All Star. I mean, he was in my you know,
not that mine. You know, mine is just hypothetical, is
just one reporter's opinion. But when I scribbled out my
(10:27):
seven West reserves.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
He was on there. Yeah, you know, I think he
was upset. And I know, you know, all of us were,
you know, on our team. We all felt that he
was a guy that, you know, we wouldn't be in
the situation that we in without him. You know, we
felt that he was, you know, one of those one
of those pieces. And uh, but he's he's also a
guy that you know, once that something like that happens,
it makes him better. It makes them, you know, more
locked in and keyed in on, you know, what we're
(10:50):
doing as a team and and our goals as a team,
which he's always worried about. So I think it's gonna
do nothing but make him better. Right now, he's been
doing great, and uh, just hoping he's gonna continue to
do what he does.
Speaker 5 (11:02):
Mike, You've played in over thirty four thousand minutes played
in over a thousand games. And you know this has
been talked about, you know here and there no technicals
throughout your career, and you know I'm gonna bring that up.
I want you, I want you to. Can you give
us a master class and tell me, like what what
(11:23):
is the key? Because I I'm somebody who you know
in just in life my wife had contested that. Well
I'll go off, you know, I lose it, So like,
can you give a master class? Like, can you give
us a little glimpse on how you're able to keep composer?
And then secondly, Mike you talked about you know you're
(11:44):
trying to instill a little bit of Mike Conley into
Anthony Edwards. Well he has he is tied well, he
is tied for fourth in technicals this season with twelve.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
I'm not doing my job, brought I'll tell you, I'm
not doing my job.
Speaker 5 (12:02):
But no, how do you do it? How do you
do it? Like have you ever been close to getting
to tech? Like what is your mindset? Take us inside
your mindset? Because basketball, in any professional sports competitive man,
your emotions get into it. How have you kept your
composure throughout.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
You know Honestly, I don't really know. I think it's
just something that has come from my parents, the way
I was raised. And like I, you know, I get
mad enough to want to fight, but I never was
like a fighter. I never, you know, try to swing
on people and just have a you know, knee jerk
reactions to things. I was always, you know, kind of
a thinker. Let me think about the situation, like how
(12:40):
to get through it, how to get past it, like
were they wrong? Were they right? Was I tripping? Like,
you know, just trying to gauge it all at the
same time. And and I guess I've become good at it.
And uh, now, you know, now I don't even think
I'll maybe I'll get close this year.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
You can't get one. Now you've come this far. You
cannot get one.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Now we've gotten pretty close. We've got pretty close this year,
and I'm a little a little scared it might happen
soon if we keep going.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
I actually need to do some research.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
I gotta I gotta find like a historian who can
look this up. What are what is the most minutes
in most games in NBA history without getting a tech
I mean, you've got to be in the run.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
I don't even know how to put that.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
I mean, I would think so honestly, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
At this point, like you surely you want to you
want to retire without any don't you?
Speaker 3 (13:27):
At this point?
Speaker 4 (13:28):
At this at this point, I feel like I can
use it to my advantage. Now I can like talk
to the ref a little bit more higher levels of
volume and like aggression because they're afraid to get me
a tech you know, if they.
Speaker 6 (13:42):
Don't, they don't want to be the ones that don't
want to be the ones.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
So see that surprises me.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
I would think there would be a ref out there,
who hey, I'm going to give.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
There's a few out there. There's a few out there.
If I had the guests, I go, I cause name
on the spot. There is a couple of refs that
I would think would be about that business if if
it got to that point.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
I think that maybe maybe, but I think that it
would have to be like they wouldn't know who it
was they were calling the tech on and they turn
around and be like, oh damn, I bat. You know,
it would be one of those situations.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Do you think most refs know you have zero career tech.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
I honestly do I think, because that's like the one
thing they say to me is they like appreciate you
know me, you know, just to got so much respect
for you know, one another and whatever, and I'm like,
thank you, Like man, keep going, keep being the you know,
the guy you are. So I feel like they kind
of have you know, fallen into that that vibe I'm
just nice guy or so.
Speaker 6 (14:42):
Okay now with you being the two things. Mike.
Speaker 5 (14:46):
So, in twenty fourteen, you actually did receive a TECH,
but it was it was rescinded. It was against Sacramento,
but it was rescinded the very next day. Do you
remember what did you do to get that tech? And
how did you feel?
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Yeah? I remember it was something happened. Uh, I might
have shot a layup or got fouled or didn't get fouled, whatever,
the ball bounced out of bounds or something. I said, like,
you know, come on man, like like slapped my hand.
I literally that's all I said. It was like, come on, man,
slap my hands to get it like that, and kind
of turned around and started to walk up to the
(15:20):
free throw line and I heard a whistle and I
heard a tech like a Tech was being called, and
I still didn't know who they was calling it. I
thought it was calling somebody else, like somebody else did
something z Bo Tony all these other guys that do
that all the time. So and then I realized it
was pointing at me, and I was like, ain't no way,
I gotta tell you, it's got to be the wrong person.
So they called in and they got to rescind it,
(15:42):
and you know, it never happened.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
We're college in high school the same no.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
Text, Yeah yeah, college, high school never got close either
one of those. So I don't know, Man, what a
gentleman I guess?
Speaker 5 (15:54):
Man, hold on, I want to get before we move on.
I wanted to get a little deeper here. Can you
cuss out a ref right now and get away with it?
Speaker 6 (16:05):
Are there? Are there certain things you can get away
with it now that refs know the situation?
Speaker 4 (16:11):
See now I can. I can cuss, but not at them,
you know what I mean? Like I think like I'm
like just like talking to him, and I might roll
in a few of those words in there. It's a
little different than like me like running at them and
start calling them names and stuff like I'm not I'm
not doing that.
Speaker 5 (16:29):
Yeah, I get that, because you know, doing doing sidelines
for T and T. I've read across across Draymond, like
when Draymond picks up that first tech, Oh, he goes
off even more after that first tech, no, knowing that
the officials don't want to you know, they're gonna give
them leeway, they don't want to give that second Yeah.
(16:50):
So I was just curious, like you could get I
was curious things you could get away with right now.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Yeah, that's yeah. I can't get away with probably that
level of uh, but you know, yeah, I don't know.
I tried my best to utilize it to our advantage
a little bit.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
You recently came to terms with the Wolves on a
new contract extension. Congratulations, So obviously you know where your
home is going to be for the next two seasons
beyond this one, as you understand it. How close were
you to ending up with the Lakers at the trade
deadline rather than the Wolves. What did they tell you
(17:28):
behind the scenes that maybe we didn't know on the
public side.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
Of the fence. I honestly don't know how close that was.
I kind of had no idea anything kind of like
that was going down. To that that morning of the
day we got traded. But I think as it became
more and more serious, I think it was never I
was never really going to be a part of that
deal to La or is going to have to be
(17:55):
a three team deal, And obviously it ended up being that,
and each you know, team got who they wanted, uh
for that, you know, for that trade, and kind of
moved on from there. But like from my perspective, I
didn't know too much. I thought I had heard like
Clippers stuff, and obviously Lakers were in there a little bit,
but Minnesota was kind of like the the dark horse
(18:17):
that it was a far shot, it probably wouldn't happen,
and it ended up being the one that did.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
When you first heard Minnesota before you got on the
plane and actually switched teams, what did you think about
the fit?
Speaker 4 (18:31):
Honestly, I thought it was it reminded me a lot
of our Utah teams. Was you know, you shuffled a
couple of different pieces around and and we've got you know,
these young long defenders and Anthony Edwards and cat like this.
It just seemed like it was like a team that
was ready to kind of take a take a you know,
a turn and you really kind of hit the momentum
(18:53):
swing and I, you know, I wanted to be a
part of that. Obviously, resigning now kind of getting a
whole year to get accustomed to the guys and understand
my role and what I'm gonna do to provide what
I do for the team. And it's just, you know,
we fell in love with it and hopefully we continue
to build something here and give ourselves a good run
(19:15):
in ith.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
Mike, I want to ask you about your thoughts on
and D It seems like there is a for point
guards coming up into this league. It seems like they
have to be scoring point guards nowadays. And I look
at you as a hybrid, but I look at you
as an old school point guard as well when you're
(19:49):
when you're talking to younger players who are going to
be point guards in this in college or even to
the league, Like, is there a certain way that you
feel like point guards now they have to play or
do you feel like there is a Mike Conley type
player that can steal make his way to the league
and still get looked at like how you got looked at,
(20:12):
you know, back in your high school and college days.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Well, but yeah, I think you could have a little
bit of both there where you know, you got you're
gonna have guys that play a different style of basketball.
I play different style of basketball, you know, move a
little bit differently and not above the rim. Like my
game is predicated on different things as I can provide
or whatnot. And that's just me particularly, get the next
(20:36):
guy could be you know, their particular skill set at
six three or six fours and help them become who
they they become a little bit a little bit easier. So,
you know, the point guard position is I think it
will always kind of be a leadership position and be
able to understand the game and a high IQ level
and understanding you know, balance and all that. But uh,
the modern point guard needs to be able to score.
(20:58):
They need to be able to find them scores. And
like it's a lot of that, a lot of that's
happening now and and so it would be you know,
perfect point guard to me would be able to do
obviously a little bit of all that and at a
very elite level. And you know, this league is just
trending in that you know, scoring point guard. Uh, you
know air So you.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
Say it have to be so you know, because you know,
in the eighties and nineties, maybe even some of the
early two thousands you had past first point guard, they
were they were not scored. So you believe point guards
nowadays they do have to be somewhat of a dynamic
score to be able to.
Speaker 6 (21:37):
Make in this league.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
Yeah, uh, somewhat. You don't have to you know, be
Dame or a jar or anybody like that, but you have.
But you you know, you have to be able to
be official. You have to be able to score. You
have to be able to you know, score in different
ways and and depending on your roles. So I think
it'll be tough to crack a lot of rosters if
(21:58):
you can only you know, passed the ball and that's
and that's it, because you know, defenses can kind of
key in on that nowadays and take advantage. So yeah,
I think that's kind of where we're at with that, Mike.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
If I could, I want to go back to the
subject of All Star. When you got your All Star
nod and now years later when you reflect on it,
how big a deal is it if you didn't have
that on your resume, how much would that bother you
at this later stage of your career.
Speaker 4 (22:29):
Oh man, honestly, I think it. It would bother me,
bother me. I think it was something at the time
I was super grateful for and thankful for. But when
you're in the moment, you just think, like, finally I
did it. But I never thought about what it You know,
what I'd feel if I hadn't made it yet, And
(22:49):
you know, it'd be a bummer obviously, because there's a
lot of years that put in a lot of really
good work and you know a lot of positive things happening.
Didn't get that chance and always kind of got up
to the twelve hour, but never you know, got that call,
and so yeah, I can imagine you know, where where
I be, you know, think about that every night I
went to bed, you know, knowing that I never had
(23:09):
that opportunity.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
Mike, we think about not having an opportunity. When I
first came in the league, I was covering the Portland
Trail Blazers. That was my first four years in the
league covering the Blazers, and I got Greg Golden's last
year there and he didn't play that year, and so
I didn't get to build a relationship with him until
later on, like when he went to play for Miami
(23:32):
and I was able to develop a relationship. But uh, Mike,
that was truly like you know, when you talk about
players who had such of a has such of a talent,
had such of a bright future, but it was all
derailed due to injuries due to their body lacking. Like,
when you think of Greg Golden, you got to you
(23:53):
got to play with him. You guys are really good friends.
When you think of Greg Golden, you know what comes
to mind, you know, because obviously you know it's unfortunate
at the time we live in. You know, people label
players bus based off of injuries, when bus really should
(24:13):
mean like, okay, you didn't make it. You didn't play
to a standard when you were healthy, you know, not
due to an injury or whatever.
Speaker 6 (24:22):
But when you think of Greg, god, like.
Speaker 5 (24:24):
What could have been, Mike, what do you think what
could have been if his body cooperated?
Speaker 4 (24:30):
Yeah? Man, he's truthfully a special player, and I think
a lot of people knew that, and I think that's
why there was so much expectation for him. But and
people also know that, you know, the reason why he
is out the league was because the injury stuff, not
because you can't play the game of basketball or not
(24:51):
dominate when he was in the games, which I think
he was having some good years when he did get
on the court. So you know, it's tough. And you know,
actually saw him last week we played in Indie. But
he's a guy that you know, we grew up together.
We we've been around each other forever and he's been
along you know, we've been along each other's careers every
step of the way, and even to this day as
(25:13):
he's coaching and I'm still playing, you know, we're checking
in and seeing how we're doing, and you know, so
it's it's, uh, it's I just wish he could have
had the opportunities that I that I've had to play
this long, and you know, he would have done so
much more with it obviously with this talent. But yeah, man,
I just wish you would have had that same, that
same uh, you know, career.
Speaker 5 (25:33):
When you guys were in college, Mike, Ohio State, what
were some of the things you guys were talking about,
because obviously you guys knew you were going to play
at the next level, Like, what were some of the
the conversation you were guys that would have about just
your dreams and aspirations in the next leak, in the
next phase of your careers.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
Man, honestly, we were we were so different, Like we
were talking about probably anything other than the basketball, honestly,
like anything other then you know, what we're going to
be doing for our respective teams and what city we're
going to be playing in. Like, man, we're thinking about
video games and the next thing, and you know, it's
(26:12):
that time of your life. Everything is just kind of
going by so fast. And yeah, I mean it's we
were always pure coming into this thing, just like just
a green you know, just having a green approach to everything,
and it just kind of everything happens fast, and we just,
you know, never really had an opportunity to sit down
and think about our journey and where we're going to
(26:34):
be headed to and how much we're going to do
with it.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
I don't want to make you look too far into
the future because I know you're still playing and you
have years left now on your contract. So but the
minute you mentioned coaching with Greg that immediately made me wonder,
is coaching something that you think would interest you five
to ten years down the road, Because given the leadership
(27:01):
roles you've had as a player, that moved to coaching.
Speaker 4 (27:03):
Would Yeah. I've always said I kind of didn't want
to coach. But the older I've gotten, the the more
I'm like, Man, it's it's basically what I would be
really good at because I can still you know, imprint
my knowledge on guys and players and you know, put
them in best situations to succeed. And but you know,
(27:24):
you said, I hope it's a little bit down the road.
I got to work on, you know, practicing be a
coach for my little you know, son's basketball team or
something like that first kind to get an idea of
what it's like, and and then you know, who knows,
you know, maybe I'll maybe I'll get there one day.
Speaker 5 (27:41):
Mike, is required from time to time that you pick
up a technical for your team as a coach to
ignite something.
Speaker 6 (27:50):
Can you do that?
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Yeah, you will get a tech as a coach.
Speaker 4 (27:56):
Yeah, that's that would be the deal. Yeah, I know that,
And that might be the and why I'm a little
reluctant to say yes about coaching. Take that technical street.
Speaker 5 (28:13):
So, Mike, when you think of what you guys have left,
obviously you want to bring cat into the fold. And
and I'm being honest, Like, when I think about teams
as ready to take that step into being championship contended teams,
most of the times those teams have to go through
the hurdles of postseason pitfalls and learn from that and
move on. I mean, there have been a few teams
(28:34):
that just bypass that went all the way, But for
the Temples, are you guys in a situation where you
feel like, you know, this is you know, we've been
number one in the Western Conference for a long time.
Not right now, but we've been up there for a
long time. Is this a situation where it's like, man,
we won a championship this year, or do you feel
(28:56):
like this is all part of the process that we
need to go, you know, just we're still playing and
figuring things out.
Speaker 4 (29:02):
Like, yeah, I think it's you know, you know, we're
we're just a team of you know, I mean, I
don't even know how we how would I describe it?
I don't know, man, Honestly, you know, we're just you know,
a group of guys that are you know, we understand
that first seed, second seed, third seed, like it matters
(29:25):
in the playoffs, it matters who your matchups are against.
We understand we have to have, you know, postseason success,
you know, to be taken serious. We understand that you
know it post these success is super hard and not
given every year that you're gonna you know, be in
the first round and get out of the first round
or make the playoffs. And you say, yes, we do
(29:47):
want to build as a year ago as years go on,
but not all of us have a lot of time
to you know, build it all the way up and
see how we go in five or six years. So
there is a sense of like urgency that is there
that you know, it's kind of my urgency is kind
of Rudy's urgency, the older guys urgency if like, hey
we can, why don't we just win it now? You know,
why don't we just try now? And that's been our
(30:10):
cold anyway. And we don't want to have to wait
another two or three years just because the guide says
we should wait two or three more years until you know,
you get taken serious as a contender, contended for a championship.
So we'll just see how, you know, things shape out.
Obviously we're gonna be ready to go.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
Yeah, you know, your radio guy Alan Horton keeps this
running Tallly of this amazing stat that this season, the
Wolves have led the West for almost one hundred days,
and in the previous thirty four seasons of the franchise,
the Wolves only led the West for ten days total
in that whole time. And we sat down, Chris and
I we did a podcast with your coach, Chris Finch
(30:49):
at All Star weekend in Indianapolis, and I had to
be that annoying guy who pointed out that the Wolves
as a franchise haven't won a playoff series in two
twenty years. They've only won two playoff rounds in their
whole existence. So everybody's going to bring that stuff up,
you know, Chris says that kind of your guys approaches
(31:14):
that past history doesn't really apply to us. This is
a new team, a new group. But how do you
tune that out when annoying reporters.
Speaker 4 (31:23):
Like me are just going to keep it right? You know,
it's it's it's okay, man. We tune out a lot.
We've learned how to you know, tune out you know
any you know, writers, comments, opinions you know about our
our squad, about the direction. Now serious are and serious
we truthfully are, And what you know the difference between
(31:44):
our teams of last year, this year or two years before.
You know, it's all it's all comes in, it comes
and goes, and I think a lot of us are
handling really well. I think we're handling honestly. The best
thing I think we're handling is is the you know,
there's the jump and success from being you know, with
games are used to be seen as from Minnesota as
opposed to what we're doing now. Is has caused a
(32:05):
lot of you know, positive attention around our team and
in the cities, the people and you can just tell
every time we walk in the story like that, people
yell like number one in the West like stuff like that,
like because it's all new and it's exciting. But we've
done a good job of not you know, letting that
affect how we approach today and how we approach you know,
getting better as a team, which we're gonna need, you know,
(32:26):
to have that kind of mentality to sustain any kind
of you know, level of play that we've built.
Speaker 6 (32:33):
That's done.
Speaker 5 (32:33):
I gotta I gotta ask Mike this one more time
because I think everybody is intrigued still with the guys
lack of I mean, excuse him, not lack the guy's
abundance of composure.
Speaker 6 (32:45):
I should say, Mike, I want you to dice.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Why are you trying to You're trying to go to
him into gett in the next game.
Speaker 6 (32:54):
I gotta I gotta ask about that. I want him
to di st this play.
Speaker 5 (32:58):
And I want you to take me inside your head, like,
because most people in this situation now I'm about to
bring up, they will react.
Speaker 6 (33:06):
And you did it.
Speaker 5 (33:07):
The play and I'm talking about is the game against
the Brooklyn Nets not too long ago. We're down the stretch,
down the stretch of the game. You guys are up
up big already, and you shot at three with twenty
something seconds. Dennis Struder comes over and pushes you, gets
mad that you shot it instead of letting the ball
(33:27):
a set and getting I believe a shot clock violation
at that time.
Speaker 6 (33:30):
And I looked at you.
Speaker 5 (33:33):
Most players immediately once they're get pushed, most people were like,
just just push back, like it's a reaction. You push back.
Can you take me inside? Like, how do even in
that instance, how do you just keep your composent And
don't get me wrong, it ain't no pump.
Speaker 6 (33:49):
I'm not saying, yeah, I'm not saying that.
Speaker 5 (33:52):
I'm saying like, you know what I mean, like you
you're level headed, like so in that situation, how do
you still keep your comment?
Speaker 4 (34:01):
It happened so fast. Honestly, I don't think I had
even real time to react to too much. I just,
you know, one, I was like, that's I think that's
a foul. Like I'm thinking, like that's an a one,
like something I don't even know. I really want that's
my promise with here's a foul. But I don't think that,
you know, at the time, I honestly like I didn't
(34:22):
know what to do with the ball, and man, people
everybody's kind of playing hot potato with like you shoot it,
you shoot it, I don't want it. I was like, man,
I'll just shoot it from wherever I'm at, just because
I know we got like twenty six twenty five seconds
left and just get the shot off. I don't really
care about make or missing it. But you know, that happened,
and I was just like, man, uh, you know, you know,
just just crazy. I wouldn't. I wasn't prepared for it,
(34:43):
which is probably why I didn't react as uh as
quickly as you know some other people may.
Speaker 5 (34:49):
Being a veteran in that situation, you know, there's they
have all these unwritten rules of you know, when do
you shoot it? Do you let the ball go out?
Like where do you stay? I believe, you know, I
played college ball. I didn't play in the NBA, but
I believe, Man, the game is over when the game
is over. But I know most people in the NBA
don't take on that type of mindset. What is your
(35:11):
mindset in that type of situation in the closing.
Speaker 6 (35:15):
Of a game.
Speaker 4 (35:16):
Yeah, I think as far as you know, I've always
viewed it as I've played until like that last you know,
twenty four seconds basically, you know when that if you
have the ball, you know, under the shot clock, you know,
the shot clocks off, stuff like that, we held the ball,
if there was like a two three second difference in
that you kind of held the ball and you know,
dropped it and went the other way. But anything kind
(35:38):
of like before that time, I think it was just
always you just played and and they finished out the game,
and uh it went from there. So it's it's it's
it's you know, I don't know if it's a trendy thing, right,
now that people are getting upset about it, but it
has been coming up a lot lately, and uh, just
I am not so used to kind of seeing that
(36:00):
haven't played the last sixteen seventeen years, Chris.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
I've got like seven or eight more questions for this man,
but we gotta let him go unfortunately too long, but
I'm gonna try to sneak. I'm gonna try to sneak
in one or two more and then we're gonna let
him go. As I mentioned off the top, you know
you have appeared more than once on the annual all
lefty team that I assemble. But I think you are
(36:26):
a natural righty if I have the story correct. So
just in your words, explain your left handedness right handedness?
Speaker 3 (36:34):
Maybe you're amphibious.
Speaker 4 (36:36):
Is amphibious?
Speaker 3 (36:37):
Jacks likes to say it like that.
Speaker 2 (36:41):
You would please explain for us how you see yourself.
Speaker 4 (36:46):
I am a right handed person by nature. I played
basketball left handed, which allows me to truthfully kind of
be amidextrous in basketball. But if you give me a pencil,
it's right with my left hand, I'll you know I
have no chance compared to the right. So it's it's
(37:06):
unique because you know you talk about the right hand
floater and all the right handed shots I shoot. You know,
obviously it's my dominant hand, so a lot of things
I do with my left hand is like people shooting
with their off hands. So you know, I should get
more credit for when I make a lefty three, then
I do a right handed floater because I'm flying blind
on left side.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
How old were you when this became the case, when
you became a left hand.
Speaker 4 (37:32):
Dominant Honestly, I've always been. It started probably when I
was four or five, when I would try to, you know,
shoot a ball and a big goal, I would like
hoist it from my left side of my bodies for
whatever reason, and I kind of stuck with me and
and but then as I got older, I knew that
I was because I could take like five days off
of basketball and come back and shoot two shots left
(37:55):
handed and just airball and they shoot it too strong,
and then get it in my right hand and it
just feels so natural, like as if I haven't missed
the day at work. And I was like, I think
I might be like truthfully right handed in basketball. I've
just I got to learn this left side now that
I've done it for so long, so I just didn't
give up on it and have done decent with it.
Speaker 6 (38:15):
Sorry, sign Mike Conley.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
He is as a left hander, and I've I'm gonna
go out on a limb and say he takes more
shots with his left hand than his right hand over the.
Speaker 4 (38:30):
Course of an NBA season.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Bold, bold statement from me some high level analytics there.
All right, sir, well, we know you got you got.
You got two games coming up against your old team
in Utah. You still have three games left in the
regular season with the defending champions from Denver, so a
lot still to do here in the regular season. Wishing
(38:52):
you and the Wolves success and good luck in the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (38:57):
And thanks him ill for doing Thank you, Thank you
guys so much.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
All right, there he goes everyone, Mike Conley from the
Minnesota Timberwolves.
Speaker 3 (39:05):
That will do it for.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
This edition of this league uncut. As always, remember please
follow us, rate the show, review the show. We'd love
to get a five star rating from you. Apple Podcasts,
Spotify podcast, wherever you get your pods.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
Haynes Stein. We'll be back together again very very soon.
Thanks everybody for listening, and that'll do it for us.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
See you next time.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
This league, uncut is and iHeartRadio production Chris Haynes and
Mark Stein.
Speaker 4 (40:00):
I didn't
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