Ohio State guard Mike Conley Jr. (1) celebrates in front of Xavier’s Justin Cage during overtime of a second round basketball game of the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, March 17, 2007. Conley scored 21 points as Ohio State defeated Xavier 78-71 in overtime. The legends about Mike Conley Jr.’s rapid ascension from Ohio State freshman to NBA lottery pick are all true. When the Buckeyes opened the 2007 NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed, Conley had no idea where the next six games would take him. All that was in front of him was a shot at a title, the chance to continue to work at his craft and the excitement that comes with living into the bubble that is a team dancing all the way to the national championship game. By the end, that single-minded focus had propelled him into a projected…
Continue Reading: With Ohio State freshman Malaki Branham rising, Mike Conley recalls his rapid NBA climb
