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Grand Canyon University Athletics
Coro: Majerle enters Hall of Fame
11/1/2017 11:17:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro
GCU coach Dan Majerle enters Arizona Sports Hall of Fame
In an event honoring Arizona sports legends, Grand Canyon men's basketball coach Dan Majerle still stood out Wednesday night.
The 47th Arizona Sports Hall of Fame class included iconic and pioneering sports figures but no inductee approached the popularity of Majerle, from the red carpet to his induction's cheers and standing ovation to the post-ceremony photo requests.
Majerle joined Arizona Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill, Arizona State professor and former sports columnist Paola Boivin, Arizona Coyotes great Shane Doan and ASU wrestling great Anthony Robles as this year's inductees.
Majerle's Phoenix Suns playing career earned the nod and his successful five-year run as GCU coach cemented the honor, putting him in the Hall of Fame with Lopes baseball luminary Tim Salmon.
"The marriage between Dan Majerle and Grand Canyon has been incredible," former Suns owner and GCU key figure Jerry Colangelo said in Majerle's induction video. "He is gaining more and more respect around the country for the job he's done at Grand Canyon and I couldn't be happier for him."
Of Colangelo, Majerle said in his speech, "What a great man. He took me in. He got me the job at Grand Canyon, which was a savior."
Majerle's induction video started with clips of his Central Michigan playing days with Chippewas teammate Chip Pisoni explaining that Majerle's "Thunder" nickname originated then. The video chronologically moved to his successful tryout for the 1988 Olympics that preceded his Suns debut.
"No one thought he was going to make that team other than Dan Majerle," Pisoni said. "Nobody could even pronounce his name."
It progressed to the 1988 NBA Draft night when a fellow Arizona Sports Hall of Fame member, Cotton Fitzsimmons, announced Majerle's drafting as Suns fans booed and warned them that they would be sorry for doing so.
"Almost 30 years later, I haven't met one person that booed me," the three-time NBA All-Star said. "Unbelievable."
NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley called Majerle one of his favorite teammates in the induction video.
"A tough S.O.B.," Barkley said. "Just tough. He's got great confidence. Not ever afraid of any moment. Will take any big shot."
Majerle thanked his four children – Madison (Santa Clara graduate), McKenzie (California-Santa Barbara sophomore), Mia (high school junior) and Max (high school freshman). He spent the largest chunk of his speech on who he called the most important person in his life over the past 30 years – A.J. Sulka, his best friend and the president and managing partner of five Majerle's Sports Grills.
"He makes me a better person," Majerle said.
During his 1988-89 NBA rookie season, Majerle and Sulka, who just had graduated from high school, met in vastly different Suns jobs.
"This kid came up with these big ears all the way out to here and he handed me a stat sheet and we started talking," Majerle said. "He said, 'My dad graduated from Central Michigan. Why don't you come to dinner?' I didn't know anybody. Next thing I know, A.J. has moved into my apartment. Smart kid."
Sulka ruined Majerle's laundry and put miles on Majerle's first car, a red Acura Legend, while Majerle was on a road trip but the relationship stuck to the point Sulka is a regular across the Lopes bench at games and a frequent visitor to practices.
"For me, to have courtside seats for these last 30 years and to watch what he's done and continues to do has been a privilege and an honor of mine," Sulka said. "Congratulations to my best friend. I love you. Great guy."
Majerle felt at home Wednesday night at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort with old Suns friends JoAnn Fitzsimmons, Jacque Alonzo and David Grapentine attending and GCU stamping purple on the event with cheerleaders, Havocs, Thunder, a table of his Lopes coaching staff and two large cut-out heads of glory-days Majerle.
But it was the presence of his best friend at one of his life's best moments that moved him most.
"One of the things about me is I'm a very emotional person," Majerle said. "I coach emotionally. I played emotionally. I talk emotionally. And I'm going to try to get through this without losing it … A.J."
Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.
The 47th Arizona Sports Hall of Fame class included iconic and pioneering sports figures but no inductee approached the popularity of Majerle, from the red carpet to his induction's cheers and standing ovation to the post-ceremony photo requests.
Majerle joined Arizona Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill, Arizona State professor and former sports columnist Paola Boivin, Arizona Coyotes great Shane Doan and ASU wrestling great Anthony Robles as this year's inductees.
Majerle's Phoenix Suns playing career earned the nod and his successful five-year run as GCU coach cemented the honor, putting him in the Hall of Fame with Lopes baseball luminary Tim Salmon.
"The marriage between Dan Majerle and Grand Canyon has been incredible," former Suns owner and GCU key figure Jerry Colangelo said in Majerle's induction video. "He is gaining more and more respect around the country for the job he's done at Grand Canyon and I couldn't be happier for him."
Of Colangelo, Majerle said in his speech, "What a great man. He took me in. He got me the job at Grand Canyon, which was a savior."
Majerle's induction video started with clips of his Central Michigan playing days with Chippewas teammate Chip Pisoni explaining that Majerle's "Thunder" nickname originated then. The video chronologically moved to his successful tryout for the 1988 Olympics that preceded his Suns debut.
"No one thought he was going to make that team other than Dan Majerle," Pisoni said. "Nobody could even pronounce his name."
It progressed to the 1988 NBA Draft night when a fellow Arizona Sports Hall of Fame member, Cotton Fitzsimmons, announced Majerle's drafting as Suns fans booed and warned them that they would be sorry for doing so.
"Almost 30 years later, I haven't met one person that booed me," the three-time NBA All-Star said. "Unbelievable."
NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley called Majerle one of his favorite teammates in the induction video.
"A tough S.O.B.," Barkley said. "Just tough. He's got great confidence. Not ever afraid of any moment. Will take any big shot."
Majerle thanked his four children – Madison (Santa Clara graduate), McKenzie (California-Santa Barbara sophomore), Mia (high school junior) and Max (high school freshman). He spent the largest chunk of his speech on who he called the most important person in his life over the past 30 years – A.J. Sulka, his best friend and the president and managing partner of five Majerle's Sports Grills.
"He makes me a better person," Majerle said.
During his 1988-89 NBA rookie season, Majerle and Sulka, who just had graduated from high school, met in vastly different Suns jobs.
"This kid came up with these big ears all the way out to here and he handed me a stat sheet and we started talking," Majerle said. "He said, 'My dad graduated from Central Michigan. Why don't you come to dinner?' I didn't know anybody. Next thing I know, A.J. has moved into my apartment. Smart kid."
Sulka ruined Majerle's laundry and put miles on Majerle's first car, a red Acura Legend, while Majerle was on a road trip but the relationship stuck to the point Sulka is a regular across the Lopes bench at games and a frequent visitor to practices.
"For me, to have courtside seats for these last 30 years and to watch what he's done and continues to do has been a privilege and an honor of mine," Sulka said. "Congratulations to my best friend. I love you. Great guy."
Majerle felt at home Wednesday night at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort with old Suns friends JoAnn Fitzsimmons, Jacque Alonzo and David Grapentine attending and GCU stamping purple on the event with cheerleaders, Havocs, Thunder, a table of his Lopes coaching staff and two large cut-out heads of glory-days Majerle.
But it was the presence of his best friend at one of his life's best moments that moved him most.
"One of the things about me is I'm a very emotional person," Majerle said. "I coach emotionally. I played emotionally. I talk emotionally. And I'm going to try to get through this without losing it … A.J."
Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.
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