9 NBA Players Who Boldly Share Their Christian Faith

5. Mike Conley

At 37, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. is still waiting for his first championship. But he’s won an NBA-record four Sportsmanship Awards for character and integrity.

Conley’s Christian beliefs are clearly a big contributor to that. In 2013, he told The Alabama Baptist that faith makes life “much easier” because “you cut out a lot of nonsense.” The athlete explained, “There are obviously a lot of temptations in the NBA. Being on TV, running into a bunch of people, you are always vulnerable to a lot of things. Being able to block that out and concentrate on your faith and living a good life is important.”

Conley, who grew up in the Baptist Church, said his favorite Bible verse is Isaiah 54:17—“No act performed against you shall prosper.” The athlete credits his family, including an uncle who is a pastor, for nurturing his strong faith foundation.

“Jesus means the world; Jesus means everything,” said Conley. “It’s what I live for. He is what I do my work for in the community, passing on as much as I can to anybody that needs it.”