The wait is over.
Mike Conley, in his 14th season in the NBA, will make his All-Star debut on Sunday in Atlanta.
Conley will be replacing the Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker, who suffered a left knee sprain. Booker was slated to participate in the All-Star Game as an injury replacement for the Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis.
With Conley joining two-time All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, it will be the first time since John Stockton, Karl Malone and Mark Eaton were All-Stars in 1989 that the Jazz will have three players representing the team in the NBA All-Star Game. Quin Snyder, the first Jazz coach to lead an All-Star team since Frank Layden did so in 1984, will coach Team LeBron.
Along with Mitchell, Conley will play on Team Durant, while Gobert will be on Team LeBron. Additionally, Conley will replace Booker in the 3-point contest which will be held prior to the game on March 7 on TNT.
The Skills Challenge and 3-point contest begin at 4:30 p.m., and the All-Star Game tips off at 6 p.m.
Conley and the other Jazz players were disappointed when the veteran guard was left off the list of All-Star reserves that were named on Feb. 23.
“It was a tough day for me, as well as also something to celebrate for them,” Conley said at the time. “It’s unfortunate but that’s kind of how my career has been and I’m thankful to have the teammates I have and the coaching staff and support around me to just keep me locked in and focus on what we’re doing.”
His teammates immediately took to social media to congratulate him on Friday.