Conley competed collegiately at the University of Arkansas where he won 9 NCAA long jump and triple jump titles. Conley was ranked #1 in the United States 9 times in the triple jump during his professional career. Conley is the former world indoor triple jump record holder and he still holds the U.S. indoor record in the triple jump at 17.76 meters (58 feet, 3.25 inches).
Conley was ranked #1 in the world 6 times in the Triple Jump during his career and was ranked 8th in the U.S. in the 200 meter dash in 1985.
Conley received the USATF Jim Thorpe Award in 1986 and 1992 as the top field events athlete in the U.S.[4] In 2004, Conley was inducted into the United States National Track and Field Hall of Fame.[5]
A 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) basketball player at the point guard position in Luther High School South in Chicago and in college (only during his freshman year),[6] Conley relied on those skills in winning the Foot Locker Celebrity Slam Dunk Contest in 1988, 1989 and 1992, where he also made the longest dunk ever, a dunk from 2" behind the free-throw line in the final against Olympic long jumper, Mike Powell.[7]
Post-competitive career
Conley was president and remains on the board of directors of World Sport Chicago,[8] the "living legacy" of Chicago's 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Bid, that focuses on promoting and developing sport programs and events for the youth of Chicago. Chicago had been selected as the U.S. entry into the bid process. Previously, he was the executive director of Elite Athlete's program for USA Track and Field.[9]
Conley is presently serving as chairman on the High Performance committee for USATF.
Conley is also CEO of (MMG) a Sports Management Group as well as CEO of hydrogen-infused water company HTWO.[10]
Conley is registered with the NBA as an agent and represented his son, Mike Conley Jr., and his son's Ohio State teammates Greg Oden and Daequan Cook when they entered the league and currently represents fellow University of Arkansas alum Isaiah Joe of the Oklahoma City Thunder.[11]
Oden officially declared for the NBA draft by signing with Mike Sr. as his agent and was subsequently chosen as the number one player in the 2007 NBA draft. Conley Jr. was selected fourth overall. Cook was drafted 21st.[12]
Rankings
Conley had a particularly long and prolific career and he was considered among the world's best for over a decade. Track and Field News ranked him among the top ten triple jumpers in the world 14 consecutive years (six times as world's best) and seven times in the long jump.[13][14]
Conley was ranked 8th in the U.S. in the 200 meter dash in 1985.
