Jason Conrad: Salem’s Favorite 7 Footer

Standing seven feet tall, Jason Conrad is difficult to miss.

And yes, he plays basketball. 

He also owns The Salem Capitals, which is part of the United States Basketball League (USBL), a professional league that prioritizes community involvement. And once you meet Jason, that should come as no surprise since he is all about community. It’s evident in his business model for the team: create a “Savanah Bananas” baseball team vibe. The basketball is serious, but the fun is everywhere else, from product giveaways to dancing on the court during halftime and Jason himself MCing the games. 

Jason’s journey to team ownership was a long and winding one, despite being the league’s youngest owner at 36. He grew up in Gilroy, California, and came from an athletic family. He played for a few colleges, then took his talent overseas to China, the Netherlands, Australia, and more. Once back in the USA, he joined the Yakima SunKings, a TBL (The Basketball League) team, where he earned a community involvement award for creating and teaching a free after-school art program for youth. He continues to make youth involvement a focus for the Capitals. 

Although Jason has a day job working for a promotional company and as a motivational speaker, his passion is the Capitals. He aims to use the team as a platform for community partnership with a special focus on art and mental health, two areas of importance in his life.

Now it is time to stop and find out what this community giant thinks about way up there above the rest of us.

Fun Fact: The Capitals’ mascot is Noble the Ox (not a bull)

What is your favorite thing about Salem? I absolutely love how tight-knit our community is. The fact I feel like I can walk around in any part of town and run into people I know is something I thoroughly enjoy and is a big reason why I call this HOME.

What is your favorite thing to do in Salem? Depends on the time of the year. During the warm months, I love to be on the water. Year-round, I love to dine at local restaurants and enjoy a cocktail and food, hit Minto as often as possible with my dogs, get to Issac’s when they open and draw for a couple hours. Any events or galas, I always look forward to. There is no shortage of activities to do in this city!

How has your life been different from what you imagined? I’m going to need a longer answer than allowed for this one. I think looking back, I am on a platform making just as much, if not more, of an impact than I originally thought. I have always wanted to be a difference maker. As I have gotten older, my perspective on what that really means has changed, and I feel like my life has ended up better than what I imagined. I had to go through some major adversity to get here, but I’m extremely happy with where I’m at.

What does success mean to you? Success for me has become something I look at on an exponential level. It means I have made a positive influence in at least one person’s life, who then turns around and has a positive influence on one or two others, who then have an influence on one or two others and before you know it that one impact I had has transformed a whole lot more than just one life.  

Who are your favorite professional and college basketball teams? I grew up in the Bay Area, so I have been a Warriors fan since I was a little kid. My answer is a little biased nowadays, but my favorite pro team is definitely the Salem Capitals! Unless we have guys that have trained kids playing college, we are recruiting a player from college, or it’s March Madness, I don’t watch a ton of college.

If you could go back in history, who would you want to hang out with? I think with how my brain works, there are 3 people I’d like to hang out with that have 3 different perspectives on the world. The first would be Confucius. I think hearing his thought process as a philosopher and his rational yet optimistic outlook really resonates with my current thought process and how I live my life. The second would be Da Vinci and his artistic approach to life. I think it would appeal to the artist and problem solver in me. And the last would be Einstein. I think sitting down with Einstein and getting a good buzz on and listening to his theories and mathematical approach to the world would be one hell of an enticing and thought-provoking conversation. 

Go to Karaoke song? Her Eyes by Pat Monahan or What’s My Age Again by Blink 182.

Night owl or early bird? Ahh, this is tough. I’m both. I’m a 4:30-5 a.m. wake-up guy, and although I’m in bed by 9 or 10 most nights, I don’t actually fall asleep until around 11 or midnight.

Sweet or savory snacks? Definitely depends on my mood. I LOVE food. My favorite food is cheese, which could always be a snack (sometimes for me a meal) but, I also have those days where I want some chocolate peanut butter ice cream, or some chewy/sour gummies!

Book or movie? Movie. My ADHD brain does like to read, but I have to get hyper focused and if I read a book I have to read it cover to cover in one night, or the chances of me picking it up again won’t happen for a couple weeks, and then I have to reread what I already read and it becomes a vicious cycle of reading and starting over.. So movies are usually the go to 99.99% of the time.

What is your go-to music when you cannot decide what to listen to? I am and will forever be a punk rock kid at heart.

What is your worst habit? I am a large human and always hungry, so I sleep with a jar of peanut butter next to my bed in case I wake up hungry!

What is your secret talent? Not sure it is much of a secret, but drawing and cooking are at the top. I can also do a handful of cartoon voices, talk with my mouth closed, and hold air in my cheeks and open my mouth without the air coming out.

What is one thing you had to learn the hard way? Just because “your world” stops doesn’t mean the rest of the world will wait for you.

What is the title of the current chapter of your life? Impact On An Exponential Level

This story originally ran in Press Play Salem issue 27 (Spring 2026)

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Author: Tracy Torres

Tracy Torres has a penchant for funky shoes and fun music. She loves all of the activities Salem has to offer, and can often be found lurking (working) behind the scenes to make things happen.