PG Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies)

[schwab]

wow i appreciate your timely response. i also feel we more than likely took care of our own punishment and they should feel okay coming to columbus.

[jwinslow]

Conley is quoted in this article as saying that he's worried about "our class" and the effect the NCAA sanctions will have on it. Therefore, in combination with all of the rumors, I think the answer to where mike conley will be:

a) Conley signs with OSU... OSU sees nothing beyond minor penalties, at most one year more.
b) Conley goes to Wake... if every expert is wrong and OSU is penalized for two additional years for past crimes... this situation seems extremely unlikely.

Conley is ours to lose, IMO.

Rivals $

Indianapolis Lawrence North teammates Greg Oden and Mike Conley may take several weeks to decide if they want to go to Ohio State or anywhere else.

[tsteele316]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeFROMscUM

Conley is quoted in this article as saying that he's worried about "our class" and the effect the NCAA sanctions will have on it. Therefore, in combination with all of the rumors, I think the answer to where mike conley will be:

a) Conley signs with OSU... OSU sees nothing beyond minor penalties, at most one year more.
b) Conley goes to Wake... if every expert is wrong and OSU is penalized for two additional years for past crimes... this situation seems extremely unlikely.

Conley is ours to lose, IMO.

Rivals $

note that this conley update came from the wake rivals site. that conley update read like the wake site was trying to really disuade conley from osu by speaking about the "new ncaa issues" regarding the BB program.
It just seemed a bit underhanded to me and more along the lines of trying to recruit for a school versus a simple update. its also quite funny that all these wake posters have started coming to the BN BB board and flaming after their pre-emptive osu banning. looks like a bit of self-righteous hypocrisy to me.

[jwinslow]

Agreed, I think they are putting a huge slant on it. But I think if OSU was definitely gonna get two more years of probation, Conley would go elsewhere. B/c that is incredibly unlikely, they have blown his worries out of proportion IMO.

[LightningRod]

I keep seeing this word "probation" thrown around with no accompanying explanation as to what the term actually means. I re-read the infraction reports relating to the recent Michigan an Minnesota basketball programs, and I am pretty much convinced that OSU will be placed on probation. What does that actually mean? It DOES NOT mean a ban on post season play, TV, TV revenue, and the like. It DOES MEAN that for a specified period of time the program must remain clean If another infraction occurs within the probationary period, then additional penalties for the prior infraction will be handed down as well as any penalties relating to an infraction during the probationary period. Michigan basketball was on probation during its run to the NIT championship two seasons ago. There are a number of schools on "probation" in the major sports that will fully participate in conference championships, NCAA championships, etc. It really doesn't matter what Wake Forest fans say about "probation" and the like, and if any athlete wants to believe the bull[censored] that is spewed on internet boards, then what can I say - good luck in the future.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

I really don't think any possible NCAA sanctions are the real reason for his confusion. Its more about waiting on the NBA age issue for Oden and the distance factor. I have been saying distance was a factor for awhile and this is one of our advantages. Mike even went on record in the article and said that right now OSU has a slight lead in so many words, but also made sure to say that Wake was right there.

The article is biased in my opinion and the right questions were asked to get the right responses for the Wake site. Nothing new will come of the NCAA allegations, we will have to most likely take down some banners and some money will be given back. If there was any believe that OSU will be banned next year from the post season, I assure you that Cook would have had second thoughts.

Conley and Oden are ours to lose. Expect an announcement in June.

[wadc45]

Scout $

5/16/05

By Evan Daniels...Conley admits that the Bucks are slightly in front of Wake at this point but that he is still very confused. He likes that OSU is close to home and that Wake is in the ACC. He will wait for the NBA age limit decision to make a choice.

[wadc45]

Scout $

5/16/05

From ScoutHoops.com...Conley was credited with being a great floor general during the adidas May Classic.

[osubartender23]

Originally Posted by wadc45

He will wait for the NBA age limit decision to make a choice.

This makes me think one of two things, either he thinks its a possibility for himself to enter the NBA draft, or he is waiting to see what Greg Oden does. Because if Oden does go to school then his choice would be OSU, but if Oden would happen to enter the draft then I think Wake could very well be Conley's choice. Just my opinion though.

[schwab]

so basically if Oden goes NBA, Conley goes Wake? OSU should be happy with those chances. If Oden goes to college as he has so repeatedly offered and insisted, then we get both? what a conundrum, i guess, seeing that if Conley wants to stay close to home that Wake is gonna be on the atlantic coast no matter what Oden does. I guess I don't see him (MCJr) going ACC either way but I am not always right. I think Mike goes OSU, atleast with Daequan and DLight, and it's up to Oden to pass up the money. Everything I have seen has Oden to college with Conley, and Wake is smoking something I wish I had at this point. No offense to Wake, they covet something they actually have a chance at, it's like the best looking girl going to prom, we can all dream right? OSU all day, Go Bucks

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

rivals.com$ (Illinois site)

5/17/05

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>Indianapolis (Ind.) Lawrence North point guard Mike Conley has another championship after his Spiece Indy Heat AAU team won the annual adidas May Classic in Bloomington, Ind., this weekend. Conley would like to have a college choice, but he it will take some more time. Get the latest on his recruitment in this Rivals hoops update. [more]</TD><TD width=6></TD><TD vAlign=top></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Conley tells the Illinois site that OSU and Wake are at the top with Michigan State and Illinois still in the mix. When asked about the possible sanctions at OSU, Mike says he does follow the issue but does not think it will effect his class and he hopes it will all be worked out.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

rivals.com$

5/17/05


Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset"><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>Ohio State basketball commitment Daequan Cook continues to lead his AAU team to championships -- and continues to believe that his two highly rated teammates will join him as Buckeyes. Cook has spent the last few weeks trying to sell the OSU program to good friends Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr., and the Dayton Dunbar star said he feels confident that Oden and Conley will eventually join him in the scarlet and gray. [more]</TD><TD width=6></TD><TD vAlign=top></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Cook says he does not want to speak for Oden and Conley but that he feels very confident they will be Buckeyes. He makes a point to say he is not pushing them but that their decision will take some time and they are just trying to sort it all out right now. They talk to eachother on a daily basis.

Their is a rumor going around that Oden and Conley will take an unofficial visit to North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend while playing in a Bob Gibbons event in Chapel Hill, Cook is not aware of any plans to visit NC.

Cook said that Oden and Conley liked the fact that OSU was a big school. When they asked him why he was so confident they would become Buckeyes he simply said that they have always talked about playing together in college and that has not changed.

[smitty03]

I have had some recent conversations with exclusiveclothes, and he still feels Conley and Oden will be Buckeyes.

[wadc45]

http://www.daytondailynews.com/sport...0518osubb.html

Possible sanctions not scaring away top OSU recruits

By Doug Harris

Dayton Daily News

COLUMBUS | Ohio State officials may have some jitters about the sanctions the NCAA could impose on their basketball program, but the uncertainty doesn't appear to be scaring away any high-profile recruits.

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Dunbar's Daequan Cook and David Lighty of Cleveland, who are ranked among the top 20 juniors nationally, reaffirmed their commitment to OSU on Tuesday. And the school remains an appealing option for two of Cook's prized AAU teammates, according to their coach.

Mike Conley Sr. said his son, Mike Jr., and seven-footer Greg Oden — who have led Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis to two straight state titles — won't let numerous NCAA violations committed during previous coach Jim O'Brien's regime sour them on the Buckeyes.

"Obviously, this is about a past administration," Conley Sr. said. "It has nothing to do with the reason why the boys want to go to Ohio State. ... It's still high on their list."

Oden is considered the top overall prospect in the class of 2006, and Conley Jr. is rated by Scout.com as the nation's second-best point guard.

Both list OSU as their co-leader with Wake Forest, although Oden still intends to make a visit to

Indiana.

"We knew about the potential sanctions when they started this process," Conley Sr. said. "The focus was on how the sanctions were going to potentially impact them in '06. ... With what's out there so far, we just feel that it won't."

OSU athletic director Gene Smith certainly is counting on that. The Buckeyes already suffered through a one-year

postseason ban, and he's willing to give up past Big Ten titles and take down the 1999 Final Four banner if it would spare the current team of further penalties.

"We need to do everything we can to protect the future of this program and the kids," he said. "That will be our mantra going into the NCAA (hearing). Whether we win or not, I don't know."

Smith's strategy won't be helped by allegations that have surfaced since the NCAA completed its investigation.

Mike Sierawski, a Serbian church official in Columbus, acknowledged in a court deposition that he gave $500 to former OSU basketball player Boban Savovic. When school officials asked Savovic for the money to repay the gift, Sierawski said he slipped the player another $500.

Sierawski also said he provided cash and clothing to 7-foot-3 recruit Aleksandar Radojevic.

Smith said the new charges will be lumped in with the others.

"We've already had a conversation with the NCAA about those allegations," he said. "They'll assess the credibility of them and see if something else needs to be done."

Cook and Lighty consider all of the charges irrelevant since they occurred before coach Thad Matta and his staff arrived.

"It's not really their fault," Lighty said. "They didn't do anything — it was coach O'Brien.

"They're heading in the right path. They're making the program upscale. This probably will be only a little setback."



Contact Doug Harris at 225-2125.

[OHSportsFan9]

I've never posted a story so not sure how this works, but I saw this today in the newspaper (Indianapolis Star) and wanted to pass it along. Pretty much the same story from the DDN.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...505190429/1057

May 19, 2005


Buckeyes' woes won't deter Oden, Conley

<!-- SIDEBAR --><!-- ARTICLE SIDEBAR --><!-- STORY TEXT --><!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->
By Jeff Rabjohns
<SCRIPT ********************><!--document.write(''+'jeff.rabjohns'+'@'+'indystar.com'+'');//--></SCRIPT>jeff.rabjohns@indystar.com


Greg Oden and Mike Conley won't shy away from considering playing at Ohio State after this week's formal announcement of alleged NCAA violations by the basketball program, Conley's father said.

Mike Conley Sr. said the alleged violations were essentially what the Lawrence North High School stars knew about from previous reports, and for which the Buckeyes already served a one-year self-imposed ban from postseason play.

"It wasn't any new news," said Conley Sr., coach of the players' AAU team. "Based on what's out there, the boys still feel it won't have an effect. That's not to say there won't be potential penalties, but it won't affect them."

The seven alleged violations occurred under former coach Jim O'Brien. The NCAA could still choose to punish the team further, but major penalties, such as a further postseason ban, are not expected.

Conley Sr. said it would take extremely severe sanctions to take Ohio State out of the mix for his son and Oden, two of the top players in the class of 2006. "The NCAA would have to give them a three-year death sentence of no postseason play for it to affect them," he said.

Conley, a 6-1 point guard, has said Ohio State and Wake Forest are his top choices. Oden, a 7-foot center, lists Ohio State, Wake Forest, Indiana and Michigan State as his final four.

Thad Matta, the former Butler coach headed into his second season at the Ohio State helm, has never been in trouble with the NCAA.

"They're picking their schools based on the people," Conley Sr. said. "At Wake Forest and Ohio State, there are good people associated with those programs."