Mike Conley discusses Ohio State basketball 'family' during Vet Week
Former Ohio State star Mike Conley Jr. was a key part of one of the best teams to ever grace the hardwood in Columbus, Ohio. He teamed up with former Buckeye great Greg Oden to lead OSU to a 2007 Final Four appearance and earned a spot in the national championship game. Conley returned to his old stomping grounds for Vet Week with the Ohio State basketball program.
Check out what he had to say here.
“Being my first time back, probably, with some of the old guys, some of the new guys. So many familiar faces helping with younger guys, younger generations. Being able to give as much information as I can. They’re so talented nowadays with all the things they can do and pickup on. So, my job is easy. I tell them one thing and they do it,” Conley said.
“But, it’s awesome to be able to sit there and spend some time. The family atmosphere that’s been created here. We have guys not only coming back in town to be here, but guys who actually live here because of what this university has meant to them and what it’s done for them. So, it’s just truly a testament of how close we’ve all been. Being a part of that great energy, great environment. Being home. It’s always great,” Conley said in the video.
As a freshman, Conley averaged 11.3 points and 6.1 assists per game. His 6.1 assists led the Big Ten Conference. Following the season, he earned first team All-Big Ten honors.
In the 2007 NCAA Tournament, he guided the Buckeyes to wins over Central Connecticut State, Xavier, Tennessee, Memphis, and Georgetown. The team’s only loss came to the team that would go on to win their second national championship in a row, the Florida Gators.
In the NBA, Conley started his professional career path with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2007. They selected him No. 4 overall in the 2007 NBA Draft. It was there that his game developed over time, and he turned himself into one of the better players in the league. He played for Memphis from 2007-2019.
Conley then moved onto the Utah Jazz, where he became an NBA All-Star for the first time in his professional career in 2021. Last season, he averaged 13.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game for the Jazz.
Coming out of Lawrence North High School (Indianapolis, Indiana), Conley was one of the top basketball prospects in America and he was named a McDonald’s All-American in 2006.