Jason Conley
Encyclopedia
Jason Conley is an American
professional basketball player for Kataja Basket in Finland
. A shooting guard
and small forward
, Conley is best known for being the only freshman
to ever lead NCAA Division I in scoring.
and attended Montrose Christian School
in Rockville
, a perennial national high school basketball power that has sent many players to the Division I and professional levels. He did not catch many college basketball recruiters' attention, but Virginia Military Institute
, a small Division I university located in Lexington
, Virginia
offered him a scholarship.
and failed to attain the minimum SAT
entrance exam score to be eligible to play college basketball right after high school. To try to help him qualify, he spent one year at a postgraduate school called Millersburg (Ky.) Military Institute
, but Conley still fell short of his SAT requirement. As a partial qualifier, he sat out one year at VMI but did not lose a year of eligibility.
When Conley's college basketball career finally started in 2001, two full years after his high school graduation in 1999, he burst onto the national scene. As a freshman, Conley started all 28 games, averaged 29.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game while shooting 46.7% from the field and 81.8% from the free throw
line. He had some of his best games against top-tier competition: 24 points against Kentucky
, 25 against Virginia
and even 38 against Villanova
.
When the 2001–02 season
had come to a close, Conley's 29.3 ppg average made him the first freshman
ever to win the national scoring title. He was named the Co-Southern Conference Player of the Year
with Dimeco Childress of East Tennessee.
Conley followed up an historical freshman campaign at VMI with a sophomore
season that saw him transfer to Missouri
after the first semester had ended. At the time, Conley played in 10 games and was averaging 22.2 ppg with VMI. Since he transferred midway through an academic year, he only had to sit out the spring semester at Missouri before he was eligible to suit up for the Tigers the following year.
in 2003–04
, Conley was selected to the Big 12 Conference
All-Newcomer and All-Reserve Teams. He averaged 7.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in 18.2 minutes per game, and scored a season-high 24 points in a win over Baylor. As a senior
in 2004–05
, Conley's role on Missouri increased as he averaged 10.2 points and 5.9 rebounds in a career-high 33 games played. Although neither of his seasons at Missouri matched what he accomplished at Virginia Military Institute, he still finished his college basketball career with 1,567 points and 557 rebounds.
(NBA) roster was participating for the Atlanta Hawks
' summer league team in 2005. He was signed to play for Germany
's Telekom Baskets Bonn
in 2005, a team he stayed with through 2007–08. He followed this with one-month stints for Finland
's Porvoon Tarmo (February 2009) and Namika Lahti (March 2009). In 2009–10, Conley signed with WBC Kraftwerk Wels of the Austria
n A Bundislega.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball player for Kataja Basket in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. A shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
and small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
, Conley is best known for being the only freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
to ever lead NCAA Division I in scoring.
Early life
Jason Conley was born in Chevy Chase, MarylandChevy Chase, Maryland
Chevy Chase is the name of both a town and an unincorporated census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland. In addition, a number of villages in the same area of Montgomery County include "Chevy Chase" in their names...
and attended Montrose Christian School
Montrose Christian School
Montrose Christian School is a K-12 private school in Rockville, Maryland, operated by the Montrose Baptist Church, Maryland's second largest Southern Baptist church. It educates around 370 students...
in Rockville
Rockville, Maryland
Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...
, a perennial national high school basketball power that has sent many players to the Division I and professional levels. He did not catch many college basketball recruiters' attention, but Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
, a small Division I university located in Lexington
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
offered him a scholarship.
VMI
Conley is dyslexicDyslexia
Dyslexia is a very broad term defining a learning disability that impairs a person's fluency or comprehension accuracy in being able to read, and which can manifest itself as a difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, or rapid...
and failed to attain the minimum SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
entrance exam score to be eligible to play college basketball right after high school. To try to help him qualify, he spent one year at a postgraduate school called Millersburg (Ky.) Military Institute
Millersburg Military Institute
Millersburg Military Institute was a military training school founded in Millersburg, Kentucky, about northeast of Lexington, Kentucky.Founded in 1893, it survived for over 113 years until closing in July 2006 due to a declining student population...
, but Conley still fell short of his SAT requirement. As a partial qualifier, he sat out one year at VMI but did not lose a year of eligibility.
When Conley's college basketball career finally started in 2001, two full years after his high school graduation in 1999, he burst onto the national scene. As a freshman, Conley started all 28 games, averaged 29.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game while shooting 46.7% from the field and 81.8% from the free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
line. He had some of his best games against top-tier competition: 24 points against Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
, 25 against Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball
The Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball program represents the University of Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the NCAA's Division I. The team is coached by Tony Bennett.-Statistics:-Retired numbers:-Retired jerseys:...
and even 38 against Villanova
Villanova Wildcats men's basketball
This is the article about the men's basketball team from Villanova University. The team has competed since the 1920–21 season. Nicknamed the "Wildcats", Villanova is a member of the Big East Conference and the Philadelphia Big Five. The Villanova Wildcats have appeared in the NCAA...
.
When the 2001–02 season
2001–02 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2001–02 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 9, 2001, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 1, 2002 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia...
had come to a close, Conley's 29.3 ppg average made him the first freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
ever to win the national scoring title. He was named the Co-Southern Conference Player of the Year
Southern Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year
The Southern Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year is a basketball award given to the Southern Conference's most outstanding player. The award was first given following the 1951–52 season. Fred Hetzel of Davidson is the only player to have won the award three times...
with Dimeco Childress of East Tennessee.
Conley followed up an historical freshman campaign at VMI with a sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
season that saw him transfer to Missouri
Missouri Tigers men's basketball
The Missouri Tigers men's basketball team represents the University of Missouri in the Big 12 Conference. The Tigers are located in Columbia, Missouri. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2011. The Missouri Tigers men's basketball team plays its home games at...
after the first semester had ended. At the time, Conley played in 10 games and was averaging 22.2 ppg with VMI. Since he transferred midway through an academic year, he only had to sit out the spring semester at Missouri before he was eligible to suit up for the Tigers the following year.
Missouri
As a juniorJunior (education)
"Junior" is a term used in the United States to describe a student in their 3rd year of study . A Junior is considered an upperclassman...
in 2003–04
2003–04 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2003–04 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2003, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 5, 2004 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas...
, Conley was selected to the Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
All-Newcomer and All-Reserve Teams. He averaged 7.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in 18.2 minutes per game, and scored a season-high 24 points in a win over Baylor. As a senior
Senior (education)
Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:...
in 2004–05
2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2004, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 2, 2005 at the Edward Jones Dome in Saint Louis,...
, Conley's role on Missouri increased as he averaged 10.2 points and 5.9 rebounds in a career-high 33 games played. Although neither of his seasons at Missouri matched what he accomplished at Virginia Military Institute, he still finished his college basketball career with 1,567 points and 557 rebounds.
Professional
The closest Conley came to making a National Basketball AssociationNational Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) roster was participating for the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
' summer league team in 2005. He was signed to play for Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's Telekom Baskets Bonn
Telekom Baskets Bonn
Telekom Baskets Bonn is a professional basketball club that is based in Bonn, Germany. The club plays in the German Basketball League, which is the highest level pro basketball league in Germany. The club's sponsor is the German company Deutsche Telekom, a big telephone and internet company, which...
in 2005, a team he stayed with through 2007–08. He followed this with one-month stints for Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
's Porvoon Tarmo (February 2009) and Namika Lahti (March 2009). In 2009–10, Conley signed with WBC Kraftwerk Wels of the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n A Bundislega.