Looking from a distance, being an NBA player seems like one of the best jobs in the world. Earning millions of dollars and having access to every resource while playing the sport that you love with millions of fans watching, sounds nothing less than a dream. But what the world sees is only one side of the story. With years of NBA experience, also comes a dull and monotonous cycle of following the same routine every day. And that routine was certainly taking a toll on seventeen-year veteran Mike Conley, that is until he moved to Minnesota and became teammates with Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Happy after finally getting a win over the Mavs and extending the ongoing series, Conley got a little emotional when asked about the impact young guns Ant-Man and KAT have had on him. “They have taught me to just be grateful for the joy of this game. Having fun. You play 17 years, you can go into this cycle … and they brought that excitement back.”

Having been a part of the league since 2007, Conley has experienced almost every aspect of being an NBA player. But playing with his young Wolves teammates who are high on energy and hungry to win has helped him break the monotony. Because of that, Conley has rediscovered his love for the game and even admitted to feeling like a teenager playing in the park.

“They’re keeping me young. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” he added. It was just over a year ago that Conley got traded to the Wolves. Despite that, his new teammates and the Minnesota fanbase have welcomed him with open arms and made him one of their own. And that is clearly helping him play at an elite level even at this stage of his career.

How Mike Conley’s addition has turned the Wolves franchise around?

Due to their lack of playoff experience, Anthony Edwards and Co. could not get past the first round in the last two years despite having a talented team. But as soon as they added Conley to the equation, most of their problems were solved. In just one year, Conley has proven why having a veteran leader to lead a young squad is so important for a team’s success, especially in the playoffs. Even Nikola Jokić understood Conley’s contribution after the Wolves dethroned them in the previous series, “He’s the most underrated player in the NBA, probably.”

And not just with his leadership, but Mike Conley has also been effective on the court with his numbers. As the starting point guard for his team, Conley is averaging nearly twelve points while also acting as the floor general, dishing out six assists per game. Even on the defensive end, Conley is averaging 1.4 steals despite being 36 years old. And after last night’s much-needed win against Dallas, Anthony Edwards revealed how grateful he was to have Conley as his teammate. “He played great tonight and I couldn’t ask nothing more from him. So, thank you Mike Conley.”

While it’s great to see Conley thriving with his new teammates, the cherry on top of him would be to win his career’s first title with this young team. Do you think he can do it?

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow in what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, had to say about the marketing genius, watch this video.