ONLINE EXTRAS

By Jeramie McPeek
(Original article appears in the Sept/Oct issue of HOOP)

HOOP: We saw your YouTube video. Where did you learn to dribble like that?
CONLEY: I don't know. I think I was born with it. It's just something I've always been able to do easily. But those dribbling drills were something I really had to work on, because those are pretty tough to do.

HOOP: Tell the readers something that nobody knows about Greg Oden.
CONLEY: Well, Greg has recently started golfing. With clubs that were 10 inches shorter than he needed (laughs).

HOOP: Are you an avid golfer?
CONLEY: I am. I'm about to go right now. I golf almost every day now. I started about a year ago. I'm getting a lot better. I'm shooting in the mid 80s right now. I play lefty right now, but I started out righty.

HOOP: Do any of your teammates golf with you?
CONLEY: Rudy (Gay) is about to start golfing with me. He just ordered some clubs. And Mark Gasol came out one time with me last year. Hopefully I can get some more guys out here to have fun with me.

HOOP: What are some of the video games you grew up on?
CONLEY: Nintendo, Sega... I played all the sports games that were available at the time, and I was always big on Mario and Sonic when I was young.

HOOP: You are on Yard Barker, Facebook, Twitter... what is it you enjoy about social media?
CONLEY: It's just an opportunity to talk to people that you normally wouldn't get to talk to. Just being able to have a conversation with somebody that's not so formal, but just fun.  And you get to know people and let them see a different side of you that they don't get to see on TV when you're playing games. You can basically advertise yourself. You can go on Twitter or Facebook or Yard Barker and tell fans what you want them to know.

HOOP: Is it hard to keep up with responding to fans?
CONLEY: It is tough. You have to pick and choose at times, or sit down and take 30 minutes to write back. It can be tough sometimes, but I'm just enjoying talking to people.

HOOP: How do you like living in Memphis?
CONLEY: Memphis is great, man. It's a slower city. Not a lot going on, but I enjoy it because I'm not really looking out for the night life. I like to relax and they've got good people down here, good food... very good barbecue... and I like to golf, so as long as it stays warm, I'm happy with it.