The Memphis Grizzlies are known for their great community presence, and a lot of it stems from one of the franchise’s all-time bests.
The NBA’s regular season is over and the playoffs are have been entertaining to watch. As the 2017-18 season comes to a complete close, it is time for individual awards to be given.
In Memphis, there is not much of an expectation for anyone to receive end-of-season acknowledgements. After all, the team finished with an abysmal 22-60 record — “good” for second-worst in the Western Conference.
The best chance for a Grizzly to receive league-wide accolades is perhaps by way of an award that focuses on efforts made off the court. The title of the recognition is the NBA Community Assist award.
Though the Memphis Grizzlies’ Mike Conley has been an excellent player throughout his 11 professional seasons — all spent as a member of the Grizzlies — he has not been named as an NBA All-Star.
Though most inhabitants of the NBA world know it is criminal for “Mac-11” to not have an All-Star Game appearance under his belt, it is definitely not the end of the world for the former Ohio State Buckeye.
In the 901, Memphians hold Conley with higher praise than “All-Star.” Much like ex-Grizz star Zach Randolph, Mike has given blood, sweat, and tears to the city. He has donated many tickets to locals. Shoes and backpacks to kids. Visits to St. Jude and Le Bonheur children’s hospitals. The list goes on and on.
Grizz fans could talk for days about Mike Conley’s accomplishments and moments on the hardwood, but they could speak just as much about his impact off it. With 4,060 career assists to his name, it is safe to say he has helped others more behind the scenes.
For Conley to receive the NBA’s Community Assist Award, it would demonstrate just how much the point guard means to the Grizzlies organization despite appearing in just 12 of 82 games in 2017-18.
Nominees
The NBA Cares official Twitter account announced all players eligible for the award, which includes a handful of the league’s biggest names. Take a look at all 10 nominees directly below.
Voting has officially tipped off for the 2017-18 Seasonlong NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by @KPShare!
— NBA Cares (@nbacares) April 25, 2018
Tweet #NBACommunityAssist + #PlayerName to cast your vote!
Today, your vote counts twice and has DOUBLE the impact! pic.twitter.com/LlVUMwCRWn
How to Vote for Conley
This time around, Mike Conley needs Grizz Nation’s help. Show you appreciation for No. 11 by casting your vote daily. “The Conductor” deserves your selection.
To properly vote, use the two hashtags of #NBACommunityAssist and #MikeConley within the same tweet (Twitter) or comment (Instagram).
Mike Conley tweeted the handy instructions for Grizzlies faithfuls, too.
Honored to be recognized as a finalist for the #NBACommunityAssist Award again! I would love your support by sharing this and commenting using #MikeConley & #NBACommunityAssist 🙌 pic.twitter.com/crMOhXEFMR
— Mike Conley (@mconley11) April 25, 2018
Past Winners
The NBA Community Assist award is given on a monthly and season-long basis during each year. Below are the past three season-long winners.
- 2016-17 — Isaiah Thomas (as a member of the Boston Celtics)
- 2015-16 — John Wall (Washington Wizards)
- 2014-15 — Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Though the winners are typically NBA All-Stars and/or superstars, the recipient has truly deserved the honor. The award highlights some of the greatest work conducted annually by the National Basketball Association and its employees.
Go Grizz!