Clyde Drexler is ready to show his moves on Dancing with the Stars. Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com
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Last week SI's Richard Deitsch interviewed Clyde Drexler for the magazine's Q&A. The ex-NBA star will compete in ABC's Dancing with the Stars, which debuts March 19. Here are additional excerpts from their conversation:

SI: Someone nicknamed the Glide should be a good dancer, right?

Drexler: You would like to think so. I'm going to have to work hard to retain my nickname.

SI: So how did this come about?

Drexler: They contacted me, and it was a wonderful thing because I watched the show the last three seasons with Evander Holyfield, Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith. I enjoyed watching it. I thought it would be fun to learn how to ballroom dance.

SI: Where you surprised that they contacted you?

Drexler: Well, I get a lot of calls from people wanting to do stuff, so I'm not really surprised.

SI: Classify your dancing experience?

Drexler: There has been none. Zero. And being 6-foot-7 with big feet doesn't help. But so far in rehearsals, I've only fallen twice.

SI: Have you ever waltzed in your life?

Drexler: No.

SI: Have you ever performed the cha-cha?

Drexler: No.

SI: Is this intimidating?

Drexler: It's actually fun to learn. But you have to learn quickly. That's the whole key. My dance partner, who is also my instructor, is very good.

SI: At 6-7, you are a full 14 inches taller than your partner, Elena Grinenko.

Drexler: Well, with heels on, make that about 11.

SI: What has that partnership been like so far?

Drexler: She's an excellent teacher, and she's so bubbly and easy to work with.The question is, Can I grasp the concept quick enough?

SI: What do you think the answer is?

Drexler: We'll find out!

SI: What's your practice schedule like right now?

Drexler: Anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours a day, six days a week.

SI: When will you first appear on television?

Drexler: Monday, March 19.

SI: Have you talked to Jerry or Emmitt?

Drexler: I talked to Emmitt, and I watched Jerry and Evander. Emmitt highly endorsed it, highly recommended it. He said you can fit it within your schedule. It's a lot of fun and good experience.

SI: What were the things you wanted to know from Emmitt?

Drexler: Just the commitments from the media, time commitments, those kinds of things.