Vince Carter hosts Mike Conley to go down memory lane discussing Mike Conley’s draft night experience, their time playing together on the Grizzlies, the grind-city era and the story of why Mike shoots with his off hand!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The VC Show is presented for the people by Caesar
Sports Book, the greatest sports betting app of all times. Downloaded,
but you must be twenty one or older. The BP
Show Let's go doing the part with Rod. We got
the sports on deck for all the youngs, whether it's
(00:21):
big news, hot topics, updated, straight fact, storytelling, breakdown, a
special guest VC Show Let's go, It's time to turn
it down shows. Welcome to the VC Show presented by
Caesar Sports Book on Omaha. Audio Part two with Mike
Conley starts. Now, let's take a trip. Let's go back
(00:41):
man for a little bit. Man, you know, dang you
were drafted in.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Said, uh yeah, two thousand and seven, that long ago.
I know, that's a long time.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Man.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
I can't I can't even believe two thousand yeah, man,
you're seventeen, man, coming up we go.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I can't believe it. That's crazy, I know.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
And in that year, the team traded away their franchise player.
I remember like.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
It was yesterday.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Uh you come in, what the what do you? What
does young Mike Conley remember from that day? So it
wasn't you already you already We're already drafted.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yeah, yeah, it was already I was already drafted. Uh
So when I got drafted, I'm like, man, you know,
I'm one. I played with Memphis grizz Is on two
K and NBA Live all the time. I'm I'm excited
to be a part of the team. And you know,
got all these vets and Dami Stottlemeyer and you know,
(01:55):
Mike Miller, Brian cardinal O.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
And pal Gasol.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Like I'm excited about out playing playing on the same
team as Palagasol. And and literally like a month into
the season, it feels okay, that's a month or so
into the season, like he gets traded and I'm like,
oh man, that's like I didn't know what what that meant.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Like why are we doing that?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Like he's our best player while we trade him, like
we're trying to, you know, win, But I apparently we
weren't trying to win. We're we were trying to, uh,
you know, retool this thing.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
So if you would retool this.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Thing, so but no, man, it was it was my
first little bit of the league, my first little you know,
eye open experience of the league.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
You're seeing the best player go off and.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Get traded and then and then obviously be successful in
l A you have this says he did?
Speaker 1 (02:48):
It was?
Speaker 3 (02:48):
It was crazy. It was did you.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Know you're going to get picked drafted by the Grizzly?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
I didn't not.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Initially I thought, you know, I had to the work
out with Atlanta. I didn't workout Memphis. I think Milwaukee
or somebody.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
A long time ago. So I'm not expecting you to
remember everything.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Yeah, I think Milwaukee was right around there, and I
think I can't wish team. It might have been Milwaukee
or somebody that I felt like I was going to
end up there. And then the pick before that, the
Grizzlies obviously chose me, so I was like, oh, man,
like I wasn't expecting it, kind of kind of jumped
the gun on it, and you know, the rest is history.
(03:28):
So it was it was, you know, match made in
heaven for me, I guess.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
And you you go on to play all of these years.
That what made grind City better yet GrITT and grind
so special with obviously Zebo, t a Uh and obviously Mark.
What made that time so special? Like what.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
I think?
Speaker 1 (03:55):
What was it? Like? I mean, obviously the players in
their personalities, because I can I know, their personality made
it fun and being around them, But.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Like, what what I think one being the personality is
that the group of guys that we had obviously made
made it. But you know, the grit and grind was
a it was truthfully, you know, the personality.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Of our team. It was the identity of our team.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
It wasn't just words, It wasn't just something that you know,
we're going to find something to live by.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
We literally we all.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Felt like we were like, quote unquote like outcasts and
we're all put together as a bunch of guys that
everybody said couldn't do anything, Like z Bo was coming
from situations where they said he can't do this, can't
do that. Tony the same thing, Mark being you know,
Pal's brother and not as good. You know, all these
everybody had something and and we used it and we
(04:49):
use it as you know, like hey, you know, we
understand everybody overlooks Memphis as a city, as a team,
small market.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
You know, nobody gives us a chance.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
If we're going to go do something, you know, we
got to go out and earn it, and we got
to fight for it. We gotta be more physical, tougher
than you like have more heart.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Like all that was what we lived by.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
And uh, and it was cool to have a group
of guys that all kind of embodied.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
That seeing.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
What you know, like what it meant to the like
every every night, whether we won or lost, like and
the love that we got in the city, like it
was crazy and everybody got their love from you know,
but it was nothing. Let's just let's just get this clear.
There was nobody got the love like Zebra. That was
that guy that that was Memphis was his city, you
(05:38):
know what I'm saying. But like the team and everybody, Yeah,
I don't ever forget that. Uh, it's just but it's
just it was amazing to see, you know, because it's
a small market and there's but there's no other sport there.
I mean obviously you know the Titans are up through
up the road a little bit, but like, and they
just embraced that city. And we were at our time,
(06:01):
we had all the injuries you had got hurt, and
it was a point we were down to like out
of the starters or the top six six eight guys,
we only had like three guys actually able to play
at one point. But I'd never forget and you can.
I would like you to tell kind of the what
the origin and where this obviously it all started, but
(06:24):
I remember playing the Clippers one night and it's going
going back and forth, and all of a sudden a
song comes on and I'm like, what is going on?
And I look in the stands and everybody's like, whoop
that track? What is going on? You know? And it
(06:45):
was amazing to see, like it was kind of like
a bond, like it was an understand like it just
I just come like it's giving me chills now, like
because I was just like I remember, it's like it
was just kind of like you were put in the
train support for us as players like and you know,
I was like newly introduced to it as opposed to
you guys who came from that playoff series.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
Right with Bow and Griffin right right now, tell me
about that that uh, like when you heard it, man,
it was it was that what you know, what's understood,
don't need to be explained.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Kind of situation for the whole city.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
We knew what it meant. Uh, you were a newcomer
to it, but.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Yeah, I quickly understood. I'm like, bro okay. And then
it was like I mean, I get it.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
I mean, obviously, like you said, it all started with
the you know, the rivalry that we had with the Clippers,
because we felt like we were playing them every year
in the playoffs and they'd win one, we went one,
you know, they'd come back and win, and it was
just back, you know, back and forth type of atmosphere.
And you know, obviously, uh z Bo don't back down
from nobody. And there was a couple of instances where
(07:54):
he got into it with Blake and a couple other
Clipper guys, and uh, it just so happened that song
was then played like I mean literally like a couple
of minutes later from from when there was a little scuffle,
and you could have you couldn't have told me everybody
in that building wasn't on their feet and just you know,
throwing tiles left and right and just felt like you
were at WrestleMania.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Or something like. That's exactly what it felt was. It
was wild. So it was it was a unique experience and.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Glad I was able to be a part of it,
for sure.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Yeah, And like I said, and then years after, it's
like I come around to be a part of it,
and you just felt like it puts you in another
zone because it's like you hear a song like you
we hear songs on the radio that everybody likes. Cool.
But like you said, it was an understanding. It was
kind of like you understand what the national anthemis played,
what you're supposed to do right right when you hear
(08:47):
that song in the grindhouse in grind City, you understood
what time it was and you kind of like it
just like it was running runs through your veins and
all of a sudden, it was like because I was
that was there for three years, and so I was
kind of like, Okay, at some point.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Here goes Yeah, it meant time. It meant it's time
to buckle up. Man, it's time, you know what I mean,
Like it's time to sit, strap in and get ready
because you know, normally they play it like right in
fourth quarter or something like that where the games are
getting tight. I think it does a lot for the
does a lot for the crowd, but it does a
(09:22):
lot more for us when we hear it.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
Say it again, Yeah, what is some of the fun
mamber you remember from our time? Like I can remember
some pretty funny times, but like.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Man, there's a lot of them, but you know, honestly,
one of that, I mean something that we used to
do all the time after practice obviously was you know,
we always shoot, so you do your was it twenty
twenty five, twenty five threes? You had to make a
certain amount and get your first you get your first
little warm up, two shot, two pointers, and then you
(09:55):
go back and you have to run them off.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
Get twenty two or twenty one whatever shots.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Yeah, yeah, five shots, five spots.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Yeah, make five yeah yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
And I and I I still do that, like after
every single workout.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
I do it to this day.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
I promise you, like every single time, I don't leave
the gym unless I do that, complete it or get
close to twenty five or twenty four or wherever that
number is I'm trying to get to. But like I remember,
like going home at night, like, man I beat VC tonight.
Man I meet him today, Man I finally got him.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Because bro, because.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
I remember I used to hate that. You used to
be like, no, i't do it no more.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Right, some of my games I didn't like. I didn't
like because you.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
I don't know what it is about you, but like
you like you might be a little talented at the game,
like you can like shoot a little bit, like and
like you can like do things like throw the ball
one arm all the way down the court and switch
it and like I get it, but like I still
felt like I could, I could, I should beat you,
but I should be able to be I just never could.
I was like, bro, like this this.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Is what you did. Like it.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
I let you know. I still let you know.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Do you remember the one time we're working on the
post move with the with the bump for separation to
the jump shot.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Like almost like the the a little bit of the dirt, uh,
Dirk NUISSI kind of fade away off of that getting
that shoulder and so I'm creating a little bit of separation.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
You know.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
I worked on it, and you know I use it
whenever I get in trouble. When I get in trouble,
I need, I have to use it. But for the
most part, man, I I I'm not.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
As strong as I, you know, used to be. I
used to.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
It's these kids now what they eat and that's the problem,
right you probably are. It's just what what's up with them?
I want to ask you about this, and I mean
a lot of people when they see you play. When
did the floater with the opposite hands start? Like, Bro,
you shoot left in it? But I know, and I
(11:57):
remember guarding you when the blocket fucked your shout out
you like, yeah, right, you forgot I shoot the right hand.
When did that? When did that become a thing for you?
Speaker 3 (12:05):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Honestly, I've had my entire life and it became.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
A thing for other people because I.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Shoot left handed, and they see it being my off
hand is my right hand. So it's like, oh, he's
shooting photos with his with his off fan with his
off hand. But to me, in my mind, it's my
dominant hand. It's always been my dominant hand. My right
hand is. I'm right handed in life, like in everything
I do.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Because you golf right handed right, I golf left and
golf left and right. That's right.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Yeah, yeah, that's what you want to know. I do
a bunch of different, bunch of different things with both
both hands now. But I think you know so I
basically grew up playing the game of basketball with my
off hand, and uh, and learned how to be a
lefty basically. And and but in the meantime, like if
you ask me tomorrow or ten years from now to
(12:56):
have a free throw contest or three point contest, I
probably shoot right handed. Like it's not even a question
because it's the easier of the two. It's the one
that it's like, the natural emotion is natural.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
Fight you do you do understand that you play in
a professional sport when you probably want to be at
your best and use what comes natural to you, and
you still shoot what your left But you're gonna tell
us the VC Show that in ten years you're gonna
probably shoot the three with your right hand.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
I'm not lying to you.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
I even I had to explain this to my my
Timberwolves coaches who was working with me. I said, watch,
I'll make eleven straight free throws right handed. I haven't
shot a right handed shot in two years, and I
switched them all and it's gonna just I don't have
to think about it.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
Like left handed, I literally.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Have to like set set my wrists and like put
my elbow it.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
I mean, I mean, I remember you used to always
kind of just just to make sure you would always right.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
I really had I really got to work.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
I really got to practice this and work on it
and constantly do it. Like my right hand don't. I
really don't have to do anything. That's why, that's why
the floaters hear what you I know what I'm saying.
I'm just I can finally say it now. You know
I'm thirty five. Man, the scouting ports are out now.
Who cares? So like I don't. Yeah, they still got
to stop it.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Right, Okay? Would you shoot a right handed three in
the professional game?
Speaker 2 (14:21):
For like a it feels a last second shot and
somebody was like on my shoulder, like my left shoulder,
and like I had to get a shot off, like
it was like a desperate type thing.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Here's the deal. Your last season, your last season. We'll
bring this up. You got to shoot at least ten
in the season. That's easy. Ten with the right right right.
You don't have that. I mean, yeah, it's your last season, bro.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
I got to make sure I'm shooting a good percentage
first though. Well, as long as I'm shooting like forty,
can I can afford it?
Speaker 5 (14:54):
No?
Speaker 1 (14:54):
It could be, I mean it could be. Yeah. It
could be one of those like you see somebody closing out,
especially if you're on the right side of the court
and somebody closing out, that's when you're shooting like let
me gonna block.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
It, you know what I'm saying?
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Pretty crazy real talk though, Like I get I get
in trouble sometimes when I like, I'll be driving and
dribbling and I go to pick up to shoot and
like the ball be like in both hands and it's
like I can't.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
I got.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
I'll be like, oh shooting, I got like like maneuver
it over to my left hand at the last moment
to shoot it.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
And like sometime they get stuck.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
It's crazy, Like listen to this, Like some people go
sit here like, bro, wait, just shoot you right in.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Then I know I wish I did, honestly, that I'd
be a much better shooting and much better shooter.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
Why should you bet with caesar Sports Book? Two words,
Caesar's rewards. Every bet brings you closer to the types
of benefits only Caesar's can offer. Hotel stays, VP experiences,
sports and concert tickets and more. It's not just an app,
It's an empire.
Speaker 5 (15:58):
Twenty one and over. Must be physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada,
New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming,
or Washington, d C. Sports betting is void in Georgia, Hawaii,
Utah and other states were prohibited. No one to stop
(16:18):
before you start. Gambling problem Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia,
West Virginia, Pennsylvania affiliated with Harris Philadelphia. If you were
someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and
referral services can be accessed by calling one eight hundred
gambler That's one eight hundred four two six two five
three seven or Maryland visit MD Gamblinghelp dot org. Or
West Virginia visit one eight hundred gambler dot net. Arizona
(16:41):
call one eight hundred next Step, Colorado, DC, Nevada, Wyoming,
Kansas affiliated with the Kansas Crossing Casino Call one eight
hundred five two two four seven zero zero. Indiana call
one eight hundred and nine with it, Iowa call one
eight hundred bets Off. Louisiana call one eight seven seven
seven seven zero stop licensed to the Horseshoe, Bossier City
and Hari's New Orleans, Massachusetts. If you were a loved
(17:01):
one is experiencing problems with gambling, Please call one eight
hundred three two seven five zero five zero or visit
gambling Helplinema dot org for twenty four to seven support.
Michigan called one eight hundred two seven zero seven one
one seven. New York call eight seven seven eight Hope
and why, or text hope and why to four six
seven three sixty nine.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
Kick your feed up. You can find us on all
platforms and that form will beat the hottest on them platforms.
Your family now got to listen to what we're talking about.
The VC show.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Let's go.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
It's time to turn it down. Show lists go, Let's
go the VC show List go. I want to ask
you something about lower marketing.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Man.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
I've been impressed with him. What are your thoughts on him?
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Man?
Speaker 1 (17:46):
His growth you could see it, I want to say,
last year and where he was playing and then he
got hurt. He comes over to Utah and you can
just see newfound confidence in him and his game. Man. Like,
what is it like? How? I mean, what is it
about Mark Laurid that you like and you've seen in
(18:06):
his growth? Uh?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Well, obviously I think we started to see it in
the summer when he was playing for his national team,
he was able to kind of be the guy and uh,
you know start to you know, get reps in that role.
When he got to Utah, Uh, he got in there
and I'm like, man, who is this? Who is this guy?
Like he's you know, seven feet playing like a guard
(18:29):
and you know as a high i Q can shoot
from anywhere. Uh, He's he's a lot more physical than
what people give him credit for.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
He's he's you know, tough to defend.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
And and I think couple that with what Will Hardy
was able to you know, scheme around him and and
you know the talent that he put around him, and uh, it.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Was a perfect match for him. So he's he's been great.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
It's amazing what confidence and health would do for a player.
You know, obviously confidence is the thing, but like when
a guy's helped, you don't really have to think your
way through the game. And that may sound weird, but
sometimes like you tend to think, like if you have
an injury, let's say ankle injury, you tend to worry
like can I plan offen? Can I do this? And
then you're can't free and you have a clear mind
(19:15):
that's when the player is really dangerous. And I thought
you could see his confidence, like the way he attacked
the rim, the way he would go at big the
way he would go at the best players like it
was amazing, and you know he deserved, you know, everything
he's gotten this year.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Uh, he was knocking on everybody. Bro.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
It was crazy, It was it was it was fun
fun to watch. You just gave him the ball and
the transition or anything and it was like one, two
dribbles and he was in the air. Uh. Super impressive
to see him go from where he was. You know,
I think he was an All Star starter, I believe
this year. So that says a lot about him and
at the time he puts into the game.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
All Right, we're gonna get in the one final question
about this and we're gonna have one fun question that
I know you're going to really enjoy. Wolves and MAVs
are going to be in in October. Are you looking
forward to that? Because last year I got the opportunity
to go there, and I'm hoping I get that call again.
But yeah, are you looking forward to time in ABDBI?
Speaker 3 (20:21):
I am?
Speaker 1 (20:22):
You know, I've never have you have you ever been
because you're you what means I have never been.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
I've never been to that part of the world.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
You're in for a treat.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
Yeah, I would love a treat. I'm excited.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
We're starting to, you know, kind of try to get it,
you know, look look into things like what's what's around
the Dubai and all the things that are close around
and just trying to.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
See it's close. It's you. Enjoy your time in if
you get a free time, free night, whatever, I say,
you know, take a trip over there, bring you clubs,
bring it's it's good golf out there.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Really really, I played every day. They're there, they're already
on the plane. Bro, I'm there.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
I played every day. So yes, lastly, I want to
talk about little golf. And I know you you know
your love is golf. And you know you said you're
like a one handicap right now, So no, don't do that.
Oh my bad? Okay, you're three? My bad? One three?
What's the difference? Uh? How hard is it to maintain
(21:29):
that handicap throughout the season? One?
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Uh, it's impossible. You know.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
I'm a I'm a I'm like a ten or eleven
when I get down with the season like when I
first come back, I'm like, I can't hit the ball.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Yeah, if I say, it's like four, Like, what's going
on right?
Speaker 3 (21:43):
Right?
Speaker 1 (21:45):
How long does it take you to kind of get
back in the form like where you are to like
a low low low hand.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
Shit, it's getting it's getting better nowadays, Like last few
years I've got I've kind of hit my stride a
little bit earlier in the off seasons, but probably like.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
You're probably playing during the season more.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
I'm not playing this season at all, not a not
a Minnesota. I'm not going to get that it's gonna
be too cold. But now it's uh, you know, it
probably takes me about two weeks of just like literally
a straight practicing, like I'm hitting balls and not playing
any rounds really just kind of hitting balls and getting
lessons here and there and just trying to dial it
(22:23):
in for when I do play. I feel better about
myself And that's why I did this this offseason, and
I've been playing decent so far. I might be ready
to go off with you at some point whenever I
get that call stop.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
It, uh for sure. So we're gonna have to put
the word up for you to get you in Lake
Tahoe at the time for the Tahoe Tournament because we
definitely definitely need more basketball representation there. I know Steph
and Iggy and this there's a pup Kyle Lowry and
we had ray for it has been a time, but
we definitely, uh, you know, with this one handy sorry
(22:58):
three handicap that you had, we difin got to put
you on display out there to get you. So I
am lobbying for you as you see right now, being
a friend and teammate, I'm lobbying for you right now
and hopefully Steph or Barkley. Charles Barkley is another guy
who's out there who repens. Chris Webber Caruso was out
there this past year, so we need a little more
(23:18):
representation of the sport. But Charles Barkley would be the
guy to talk to because he hosts. He's the host
of this tournament every year. So yeah, so he will
be the guy to get you in. I think you
would do well.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
I appreciate it. I need help.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
I've been trying to do it for a while, so
I needed all right, but no, we got.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
To start putting out there, you know. So it took
me a while. I was fortunate enough to play in
Sacramento where we're close, and ran into some people. I
was like, yeah, I do play golf. I do. I
really like it a Lotah. Absolutely I would play. And
then here we are five six years later. So for
sure we're gonna have to put that out there. We're
gonna have to actually tag him in for this episode
(24:01):
just so they see it, just to hear this right
here for you, man, I appreciate you once again. Man,
you have a good one and we're gonna make sure
we can get you on La Tahoe Tour. So you
gotta stay tuned, y'all. Appreciate everybody listening up to the
VC show. We out of here, let's go.
The VC Show is presented for the people by Caesar
Sports Book, the greatest sports betting app of all times. Downloaded,
but you must be twenty one or older. The BP
Show Let's go doing the part with Rod. We got
the sports on deck for all the youngs, whether it's
(00:21):
big news, hot topics, updated, straight fact, storytelling, breakdown, a
special guest VC Show Let's go, It's time to turn
it down shows. Welcome to the VC Show presented by
Caesar Sports Book on Omaha. Audio Part two with Mike
Conley starts. Now, let's take a trip. Let's go back
(00:41):
man for a little bit. Man, you know, dang you
were drafted in.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Said, uh yeah, two thousand and seven, that long ago.
I know, that's a long time.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Man.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
I can't I can't even believe two thousand yeah, man,
you're seventeen, man, coming up we go.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I can't believe it. That's crazy, I know.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
And in that year, the team traded away their franchise player.
I remember like.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
It was yesterday.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Uh you come in, what the what do you? What
does young Mike Conley remember from that day? So it
wasn't you already you already We're already drafted.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yeah, yeah, it was already I was already drafted. Uh
So when I got drafted, I'm like, man, you know,
I'm one. I played with Memphis grizz Is on two
K and NBA Live all the time. I'm I'm excited
to be a part of the team. And you know,
got all these vets and Dami Stottlemeyer and you know,
(01:55):
Mike Miller, Brian cardinal O.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
And pal Gasol.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Like I'm excited about out playing playing on the same
team as Palagasol. And and literally like a month into
the season, it feels okay, that's a month or so
into the season, like he gets traded and I'm like,
oh man, that's like I didn't know what what that meant.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Like why are we doing that?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Like he's our best player while we trade him, like
we're trying to, you know, win, But I apparently we
weren't trying to win. We're we were trying to, uh,
you know, retool this thing.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
So if you would retool this.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Thing, so but no, man, it was it was my
first little bit of the league, my first little you know,
eye open experience of the league.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
You're seeing the best player go off and.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Get traded and then and then obviously be successful in
l A you have this says he did?
Speaker 1 (02:48):
It was?
Speaker 3 (02:48):
It was crazy. It was did you.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Know you're going to get picked drafted by the Grizzly?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
I didn't not.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Initially I thought, you know, I had to the work
out with Atlanta. I didn't workout Memphis. I think Milwaukee
or somebody.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
A long time ago. So I'm not expecting you to
remember everything.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Yeah, I think Milwaukee was right around there, and I
think I can't wish team. It might have been Milwaukee
or somebody that I felt like I was going to
end up there. And then the pick before that, the
Grizzlies obviously chose me, so I was like, oh, man,
like I wasn't expecting it, kind of kind of jumped
the gun on it, and you know, the rest is history.
(03:28):
So it was it was, you know, match made in
heaven for me, I guess.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
And you you go on to play all of these years.
That what made grind City better yet GrITT and grind
so special with obviously Zebo, t a Uh and obviously Mark.
What made that time so special? Like what.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
I think?
Speaker 1 (03:55):
What was it? Like? I mean, obviously the players in
their personalities, because I can I know, their personality made
it fun and being around them, But.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Like, what what I think one being the personality is
that the group of guys that we had obviously made
made it. But you know, the grit and grind was
a it was truthfully, you know, the personality.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Of our team. It was the identity of our team.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
It wasn't just words, It wasn't just something that you know,
we're going to find something to live by.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
We literally we all.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Felt like we were like, quote unquote like outcasts and
we're all put together as a bunch of guys that
everybody said couldn't do anything, Like z Bo was coming
from situations where they said he can't do this, can't
do that. Tony the same thing, Mark being you know,
Pal's brother and not as good. You know, all these
everybody had something and and we used it and we
(04:49):
use it as you know, like hey, you know, we
understand everybody overlooks Memphis as a city, as a team,
small market.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
You know, nobody gives us a chance.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
If we're going to go do something, you know, we
got to go out and earn it, and we got
to fight for it. We gotta be more physical, tougher
than you like have more heart.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Like all that was what we lived by.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
And uh, and it was cool to have a group
of guys that all kind of embodied.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
That seeing.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
What you know, like what it meant to the like
every every night, whether we won or lost, like and
the love that we got in the city, like it
was crazy and everybody got their love from you know,
but it was nothing. Let's just let's just get this clear.
There was nobody got the love like Zebra. That was
that guy that that was Memphis was his city, you
(05:38):
know what I'm saying. But like the team and everybody, Yeah,
I don't ever forget that. Uh, it's just but it's
just it was amazing to see, you know, because it's
a small market and there's but there's no other sport there.
I mean obviously you know the Titans are up through
up the road a little bit, but like, and they
just embraced that city. And we were at our time,
(06:01):
we had all the injuries you had got hurt, and
it was a point we were down to like out
of the starters or the top six six eight guys,
we only had like three guys actually able to play
at one point. But I'd never forget and you can.
I would like you to tell kind of the what
the origin and where this obviously it all started, but
(06:24):
I remember playing the Clippers one night and it's going
going back and forth, and all of a sudden a
song comes on and I'm like, what is going on?
And I look in the stands and everybody's like, whoop
that track? What is going on? You know? And it
(06:45):
was amazing to see, like it was kind of like
a bond, like it was an understand like it just
I just come like it's giving me chills now, like
because I was just like I remember, it's like it
was just kind of like you were put in the
train support for us as players like and you know,
I was like newly introduced to it as opposed to
you guys who came from that playoff series.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
Right with Bow and Griffin right right now, tell me
about that that uh, like when you heard it, man,
it was it was that what you know, what's understood,
don't need to be explained.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Kind of situation for the whole city.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
We knew what it meant. Uh, you were a newcomer
to it, but.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Yeah, I quickly understood. I'm like, bro okay. And then
it was like I mean, I get it.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
I mean, obviously, like you said, it all started with
the you know, the rivalry that we had with the Clippers,
because we felt like we were playing them every year
in the playoffs and they'd win one, we went one,
you know, they'd come back and win, and it was
just back, you know, back and forth type of atmosphere.
And you know, obviously, uh z Bo don't back down
from nobody. And there was a couple of instances where
(07:54):
he got into it with Blake and a couple other
Clipper guys, and uh, it just so happened that song
was then played like I mean literally like a couple
of minutes later from from when there was a little scuffle,
and you could have you couldn't have told me everybody
in that building wasn't on their feet and just you know,
throwing tiles left and right and just felt like you
were at WrestleMania.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Or something like. That's exactly what it felt was. It
was wild. So it was it was a unique experience and.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Glad I was able to be a part of it,
for sure.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Yeah, And like I said, and then years after, it's
like I come around to be a part of it,
and you just felt like it puts you in another
zone because it's like you hear a song like you
we hear songs on the radio that everybody likes. Cool.
But like you said, it was an understanding. It was
kind of like you understand what the national anthemis played,
what you're supposed to do right right when you hear
(08:47):
that song in the grindhouse in grind City, you understood
what time it was and you kind of like it
just like it was running runs through your veins and
all of a sudden, it was like because I was
that was there for three years, and so I was
kind of like, Okay, at some point.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Here goes Yeah, it meant time. It meant it's time
to buckle up. Man, it's time, you know what I mean,
Like it's time to sit, strap in and get ready
because you know, normally they play it like right in
fourth quarter or something like that where the games are
getting tight. I think it does a lot for the
does a lot for the crowd, but it does a
(09:22):
lot more for us when we hear it.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
Say it again, Yeah, what is some of the fun
mamber you remember from our time? Like I can remember
some pretty funny times, but like.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Man, there's a lot of them, but you know, honestly,
one of that, I mean something that we used to
do all the time after practice obviously was you know,
we always shoot, so you do your was it twenty
twenty five, twenty five threes? You had to make a
certain amount and get your first you get your first
little warm up, two shot, two pointers, and then you
(09:55):
go back and you have to run them off.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
Get twenty two or twenty one whatever shots.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Yeah, yeah, five shots, five spots.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Yeah, make five yeah yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
And I and I I still do that, like after
every single workout.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
I do it to this day.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
I promise you, like every single time, I don't leave
the gym unless I do that, complete it or get
close to twenty five or twenty four or wherever that
number is I'm trying to get to. But like I remember,
like going home at night, like, man I beat VC tonight.
Man I meet him today, Man I finally got him.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Because bro, because.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
I remember I used to hate that. You used to
be like, no, i't do it no more.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Right, some of my games I didn't like. I didn't
like because you.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
I don't know what it is about you, but like
you like you might be a little talented at the game,
like you can like shoot a little bit, like and
like you can like do things like throw the ball
one arm all the way down the court and switch
it and like I get it, but like I still
felt like I could, I could, I should beat you,
but I should be able to be I just never could.
I was like, bro, like this this.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Is what you did. Like it.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
I let you know. I still let you know.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Do you remember the one time we're working on the
post move with the with the bump for separation to
the jump shot.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Like almost like the the a little bit of the dirt, uh,
Dirk NUISSI kind of fade away off of that getting
that shoulder and so I'm creating a little bit of separation.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
You know.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
I worked on it, and you know I use it
whenever I get in trouble. When I get in trouble,
I need, I have to use it. But for the
most part, man, I I I'm not.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
As strong as I, you know, used to be. I
used to.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
It's these kids now what they eat and that's the problem,
right you probably are. It's just what what's up with them?
I want to ask you about this, and I mean
a lot of people when they see you play. When
did the floater with the opposite hands start? Like, Bro,
you shoot left in it? But I know, and I
(11:57):
remember guarding you when the blocket fucked your shout out
you like, yeah, right, you forgot I shoot the right hand.
When did that? When did that become a thing for you?
Speaker 3 (12:05):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Honestly, I've had my entire life and it became.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
A thing for other people because I.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Shoot left handed, and they see it being my off
hand is my right hand. So it's like, oh, he's
shooting photos with his with his off fan with his
off hand. But to me, in my mind, it's my
dominant hand. It's always been my dominant hand. My right
hand is. I'm right handed in life, like in everything
I do.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Because you golf right handed right, I golf left and
golf left and right. That's right.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Yeah, yeah, that's what you want to know. I do
a bunch of different, bunch of different things with both
both hands now. But I think you know so I
basically grew up playing the game of basketball with my
off hand, and uh, and learned how to be a
lefty basically. And and but in the meantime, like if
you ask me tomorrow or ten years from now to
(12:56):
have a free throw contest or three point contest, I
probably shoot right handed. Like it's not even a question
because it's the easier of the two. It's the one
that it's like, the natural emotion is natural.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
Fight you do you do understand that you play in
a professional sport when you probably want to be at
your best and use what comes natural to you, and
you still shoot what your left But you're gonna tell
us the VC Show that in ten years you're gonna
probably shoot the three with your right hand.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
I'm not lying to you.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
I even I had to explain this to my my
Timberwolves coaches who was working with me. I said, watch,
I'll make eleven straight free throws right handed. I haven't
shot a right handed shot in two years, and I
switched them all and it's gonna just I don't have
to think about it.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
Like left handed, I literally.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Have to like set set my wrists and like put
my elbow it.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
I mean, I mean, I remember you used to always
kind of just just to make sure you would always right.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
I really had I really got to work.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
I really got to practice this and work on it
and constantly do it. Like my right hand don't. I
really don't have to do anything. That's why, that's why
the floaters hear what you I know what I'm saying.
I'm just I can finally say it now. You know
I'm thirty five. Man, the scouting ports are out now.
Who cares? So like I don't. Yeah, they still got
to stop it.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Right, Okay? Would you shoot a right handed three in
the professional game?
Speaker 2 (14:21):
For like a it feels a last second shot and
somebody was like on my shoulder, like my left shoulder,
and like I had to get a shot off, like
it was like a desperate type thing.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Here's the deal. Your last season, your last season. We'll
bring this up. You got to shoot at least ten
in the season. That's easy. Ten with the right right right.
You don't have that. I mean, yeah, it's your last season, bro.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
I got to make sure I'm shooting a good percentage
first though. Well, as long as I'm shooting like forty,
can I can afford it?
Speaker 5 (14:54):
No?
Speaker 1 (14:54):
It could be, I mean it could be. Yeah. It
could be one of those like you see somebody closing out,
especially if you're on the right side of the court
and somebody closing out, that's when you're shooting like let
me gonna block.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
It, you know what I'm saying?
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Pretty crazy real talk though, Like I get I get
in trouble sometimes when I like, I'll be driving and
dribbling and I go to pick up to shoot and
like the ball be like in both hands and it's
like I can't.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
I got.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
I'll be like, oh shooting, I got like like maneuver
it over to my left hand at the last moment
to shoot it.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
And like sometime they get stuck.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
It's crazy, Like listen to this, Like some people go
sit here like, bro, wait, just shoot you right in.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Then I know I wish I did, honestly, that I'd
be a much better shooting and much better shooter.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
Why should you bet with caesar Sports Book? Two words,
Caesar's rewards. Every bet brings you closer to the types
of benefits only Caesar's can offer. Hotel stays, VP experiences,
sports and concert tickets and more. It's not just an app,
It's an empire.
Speaker 5 (15:58):
Twenty one and over. Must be physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada,
New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming,
or Washington, d C. Sports betting is void in Georgia, Hawaii,
Utah and other states were prohibited. No one to stop
(16:18):
before you start. Gambling problem Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia,
West Virginia, Pennsylvania affiliated with Harris Philadelphia. If you were
someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and
referral services can be accessed by calling one eight hundred
gambler That's one eight hundred four two six two five
three seven or Maryland visit MD Gamblinghelp dot org. Or
West Virginia visit one eight hundred gambler dot net. Arizona
(16:41):
call one eight hundred next Step, Colorado, DC, Nevada, Wyoming,
Kansas affiliated with the Kansas Crossing Casino Call one eight
hundred five two two four seven zero zero. Indiana call
one eight hundred and nine with it, Iowa call one
eight hundred bets Off. Louisiana call one eight seven seven
seven seven zero stop licensed to the Horseshoe, Bossier City
and Hari's New Orleans, Massachusetts. If you were a loved
(17:01):
one is experiencing problems with gambling, Please call one eight
hundred three two seven five zero five zero or visit
gambling Helplinema dot org for twenty four to seven support.
Michigan called one eight hundred two seven zero seven one
one seven. New York call eight seven seven eight Hope
and why, or text hope and why to four six
seven three sixty nine.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
Kick your feed up. You can find us on all
platforms and that form will beat the hottest on them platforms.
Your family now got to listen to what we're talking about.
The VC show.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Let's go.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
It's time to turn it down. Show lists go, Let's
go the VC show List go. I want to ask
you something about lower marketing.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Man.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
I've been impressed with him. What are your thoughts on him?
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Man?
Speaker 1 (17:46):
His growth you could see it, I want to say,
last year and where he was playing and then he
got hurt. He comes over to Utah and you can
just see newfound confidence in him and his game. Man. Like,
what is it like? How? I mean, what is it
about Mark Laurid that you like and you've seen in
(18:06):
his growth? Uh?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Well, obviously I think we started to see it in
the summer when he was playing for his national team,
he was able to kind of be the guy and uh,
you know start to you know, get reps in that role.
When he got to Utah, Uh, he got in there
and I'm like, man, who is this? Who is this guy?
Like he's you know, seven feet playing like a guard
(18:29):
and you know as a high i Q can shoot
from anywhere. Uh, He's he's a lot more physical than
what people give him credit for.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
He's he's you know, tough to defend.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
And and I think couple that with what Will Hardy
was able to you know, scheme around him and and
you know the talent that he put around him, and uh, it.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Was a perfect match for him. So he's he's been great.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
It's amazing what confidence and health would do for a player.
You know, obviously confidence is the thing, but like when
a guy's helped, you don't really have to think your
way through the game. And that may sound weird, but
sometimes like you tend to think, like if you have
an injury, let's say ankle injury, you tend to worry
like can I plan offen? Can I do this? And
then you're can't free and you have a clear mind
(19:15):
that's when the player is really dangerous. And I thought
you could see his confidence, like the way he attacked
the rim, the way he would go at big the
way he would go at the best players like it
was amazing, and you know he deserved, you know, everything
he's gotten this year.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Uh, he was knocking on everybody. Bro.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
It was crazy, It was it was it was fun
fun to watch. You just gave him the ball and
the transition or anything and it was like one, two
dribbles and he was in the air. Uh. Super impressive
to see him go from where he was. You know,
I think he was an All Star starter, I believe
this year. So that says a lot about him and
at the time he puts into the game.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
All Right, we're gonna get in the one final question
about this and we're gonna have one fun question that
I know you're going to really enjoy. Wolves and MAVs
are going to be in in October. Are you looking
forward to that? Because last year I got the opportunity
to go there, and I'm hoping I get that call again.
But yeah, are you looking forward to time in ABDBI?
Speaker 3 (20:21):
I am?
Speaker 1 (20:22):
You know, I've never have you have you ever been
because you're you what means I have never been.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
I've never been to that part of the world.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
You're in for a treat.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
Yeah, I would love a treat. I'm excited.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
We're starting to, you know, kind of try to get it,
you know, look look into things like what's what's around
the Dubai and all the things that are close around
and just trying to.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
See it's close. It's you. Enjoy your time in if
you get a free time, free night, whatever, I say,
you know, take a trip over there, bring you clubs,
bring it's it's good golf out there.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Really really, I played every day. They're there, they're already
on the plane. Bro, I'm there.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
I played every day. So yes, lastly, I want to
talk about little golf. And I know you you know
your love is golf. And you know you said you're
like a one handicap right now, So no, don't do that.
Oh my bad? Okay, you're three? My bad? One three?
What's the difference? Uh? How hard is it to maintain
(21:29):
that handicap throughout the season? One?
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Uh, it's impossible. You know.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
I'm a I'm a I'm like a ten or eleven
when I get down with the season like when I
first come back, I'm like, I can't hit the ball.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Yeah, if I say, it's like four, Like, what's going
on right?
Speaker 3 (21:43):
Right?
Speaker 1 (21:45):
How long does it take you to kind of get
back in the form like where you are to like
a low low low hand.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
Shit, it's getting it's getting better nowadays, Like last few
years I've got I've kind of hit my stride a
little bit earlier in the off seasons, but probably like.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
You're probably playing during the season more.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
I'm not playing this season at all, not a not
a Minnesota. I'm not going to get that it's gonna
be too cold. But now it's uh, you know, it
probably takes me about two weeks of just like literally
a straight practicing, like I'm hitting balls and not playing
any rounds really just kind of hitting balls and getting
lessons here and there and just trying to dial it
(22:23):
in for when I do play. I feel better about
myself And that's why I did this this offseason, and
I've been playing decent so far. I might be ready
to go off with you at some point whenever I
get that call stop.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
It, uh for sure. So we're gonna have to put
the word up for you to get you in Lake
Tahoe at the time for the Tahoe Tournament because we
definitely definitely need more basketball representation there. I know Steph
and Iggy and this there's a pup Kyle Lowry and
we had ray for it has been a time, but
we definitely, uh, you know, with this one handy sorry
(22:58):
three handicap that you had, we difin got to put
you on display out there to get you. So I
am lobbying for you as you see right now, being
a friend and teammate, I'm lobbying for you right now
and hopefully Steph or Barkley. Charles Barkley is another guy
who's out there who repens. Chris Webber Caruso was out
there this past year, so we need a little more
(23:18):
representation of the sport. But Charles Barkley would be the
guy to talk to because he hosts. He's the host
of this tournament every year. So yeah, so he will
be the guy to get you in. I think you
would do well.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
I appreciate it. I need help.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
I've been trying to do it for a while, so
I needed all right, but no, we got.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
To start putting out there, you know. So it took
me a while. I was fortunate enough to play in
Sacramento where we're close, and ran into some people. I
was like, yeah, I do play golf. I do. I
really like it a Lotah. Absolutely I would play. And
then here we are five six years later. So for
sure we're gonna have to put that out there. We're
gonna have to actually tag him in for this episode
(24:01):
just so they see it, just to hear this right
here for you, man, I appreciate you once again. Man,
you have a good one and we're gonna make sure
we can get you on La Tahoe Tour. So you
gotta stay tuned, y'all. Appreciate everybody listening up to the
VC show. We out of here, let's go.
Popular Podcasts
1. Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
2. Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
3. Crime Junkie
If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people.