Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus Stetson on December 2, 2025 , Win , 67, to, 45
M Basketball
vs Stetson
W 67-45
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Magic put Midtgaard in NBA Summer League
7/30/2021 12:11:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro
GCU star center gets 5 nationally televised games for August pro debut
When Grand Canyon gave Asbjørn Midtgaard's his first chance to be a full-time starter, he seized it with all-conference play that led the WAC champions.
When the Orlando Magic gave Midtgaard an NBA workout, he made the most of the opportunity again.
Midtgaard accepted an invitation to play for the Magic in the NBA Summer League, an opportunity for pro prospects to show their wares in Las Vegas during August. Midtgaard worked out for the Magic brass in Orlando last week at the tail end of four NBA visits for the 7-foot, 270-pound Lopes center.
Midtgaard's NBA Summer League debut will be Aug. 9, two days after he marries Madison Freund in Wichita, Kansas. The Denmark native left Phoenix on Wednesday and spent NBA Draft night with friends and family in Wichita on Thursday night, when he received the late-night offer after the draft.
"It gives him another chance to showcase what he can do and the potential that he has at his size and with the strength that he has," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "For the rest of his career, he has this on his résumé. Hopefully, he sticks in the NBA or, if he goes overseas and plays, this will help his value and will give him more chances to come back in the summer and make an NBA team again. There are so many positives for Asbjørn and Maddy, his future wife."
Each of Midtgaard's NBA Summer League games will be on national television: Aug. 9 vs. Golden State (5 p.m. Phoenix time, NBATV), Aug. 11 vs. Cleveland (3 p.m., ESPN2), Aug. 12 vs. Boston (4 p.m., ESPN2), Aug. 15 vs. Houston (5 p.m., NBATV). His team will play a fifth game either in the Aug. 17 championship or another game to be paired later.
Midtgaard will be part of a high-profile NBA Summer League with a pair of top-eight draft picks, No. 5 overall pick Jalen Suggs of Gonzaga and No. 8 overall pick Franz Wagner of Michigan.
Drew previously has coached drafted players and has seen rapid stock rises, like with Aaron Nesmith at Vanderbilt. But Midtgaard's escalation was different after three years of less than 10 minutes per game at Wichita State to GCU's leader with 14.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots per game on the program's first NCAA Division I tournament team.
"A lot of people had written him off," Drew said. "Now, he's a conference champion, getting NBA workouts and going to be on an NBA Summer League team for the Orlando Magic.
"He's a terrific young man and what he's accomplished here in a year is simply amazing. I think that goes into the character that he has and the people who have invested in his life and his basketball."
Midtgaard led the nation in field goal percentage (70.7%) and broke a 42-year-old WAC record for shooting in conference play (69.7%), but has worked on expanding his shooting range for the pro game in hopes of being Denmark's second NBA player. He already is GCU's first Division I-era NBA Summer League player.
As much as GCU helped Midtgaard to an opportunity that he said he could not have imagined a year ago, his work ethic, character and talent helped Drew establish a culture that carries over when Midtgaard returns to GCU Basketball Facility between NBA workouts and operates the clock.
"He totally changed the culture of our program in our summer practices with how he played and diving on the floor for loose balls," Drew said. "Now, he's going to NBA workouts and flying back home (to Phoenix) and running our clock in practice. Just that humility. With the accomplishments, he has a humble heart and a grateful heart in all of it. We couldn't be more thrilled for him. He's so deserving and he's going to do a great job for Orlando this summer."
Earlier this week, Midtgaard said his goal for the summer was to land a NBA Summer League spot. He was thrilled to get his first NBA pre-draft workout and then received three more, including Orlando's, within a week.
"When he came here, it was more than a basketball change," Drew said. "It was a whole environment change after three years of college and he didn't have much time to get accustomed. He had to jump right in and flow right with GCU. Looking back, it just shows how much you can prosper when you go to a place that really fits you. For Ash, the system and the place were ideal. GCU fit him perfectly for his time in his life."
When the Orlando Magic gave Midtgaard an NBA workout, he made the most of the opportunity again.
Midtgaard accepted an invitation to play for the Magic in the NBA Summer League, an opportunity for pro prospects to show their wares in Las Vegas during August. Midtgaard worked out for the Magic brass in Orlando last week at the tail end of four NBA visits for the 7-foot, 270-pound Lopes center.
Midtgaard's NBA Summer League debut will be Aug. 9, two days after he marries Madison Freund in Wichita, Kansas. The Denmark native left Phoenix on Wednesday and spent NBA Draft night with friends and family in Wichita on Thursday night, when he received the late-night offer after the draft."It gives him another chance to showcase what he can do and the potential that he has at his size and with the strength that he has," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "For the rest of his career, he has this on his résumé. Hopefully, he sticks in the NBA or, if he goes overseas and plays, this will help his value and will give him more chances to come back in the summer and make an NBA team again. There are so many positives for Asbjørn and Maddy, his future wife."
Each of Midtgaard's NBA Summer League games will be on national television: Aug. 9 vs. Golden State (5 p.m. Phoenix time, NBATV), Aug. 11 vs. Cleveland (3 p.m., ESPN2), Aug. 12 vs. Boston (4 p.m., ESPN2), Aug. 15 vs. Houston (5 p.m., NBATV). His team will play a fifth game either in the Aug. 17 championship or another game to be paired later.Midtgaard will be part of a high-profile NBA Summer League with a pair of top-eight draft picks, No. 5 overall pick Jalen Suggs of Gonzaga and No. 8 overall pick Franz Wagner of Michigan.
Drew previously has coached drafted players and has seen rapid stock rises, like with Aaron Nesmith at Vanderbilt. But Midtgaard's escalation was different after three years of less than 10 minutes per game at Wichita State to GCU's leader with 14.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots per game on the program's first NCAA Division I tournament team.
"A lot of people had written him off," Drew said. "Now, he's a conference champion, getting NBA workouts and going to be on an NBA Summer League team for the Orlando Magic.
"He's a terrific young man and what he's accomplished here in a year is simply amazing. I think that goes into the character that he has and the people who have invested in his life and his basketball."
Midtgaard led the nation in field goal percentage (70.7%) and broke a 42-year-old WAC record for shooting in conference play (69.7%), but has worked on expanding his shooting range for the pro game in hopes of being Denmark's second NBA player. He already is GCU's first Division I-era NBA Summer League player.
As much as GCU helped Midtgaard to an opportunity that he said he could not have imagined a year ago, his work ethic, character and talent helped Drew establish a culture that carries over when Midtgaard returns to GCU Basketball Facility between NBA workouts and operates the clock."He totally changed the culture of our program in our summer practices with how he played and diving on the floor for loose balls," Drew said. "Now, he's going to NBA workouts and flying back home (to Phoenix) and running our clock in practice. Just that humility. With the accomplishments, he has a humble heart and a grateful heart in all of it. We couldn't be more thrilled for him. He's so deserving and he's going to do a great job for Orlando this summer."
Earlier this week, Midtgaard said his goal for the summer was to land a NBA Summer League spot. He was thrilled to get his first NBA pre-draft workout and then received three more, including Orlando's, within a week.
"When he came here, it was more than a basketball change," Drew said. "It was a whole environment change after three years of college and he didn't have much time to get accustomed. He had to jump right in and flow right with GCU. Looking back, it just shows how much you can prosper when you go to a place that really fits you. For Ash, the system and the place were ideal. GCU fit him perfectly for his time in his life."
For those of you just getting to know @Midtgaard33... #LopesInThePros x @OrlandoMagic pic.twitter.com/lDcfFA1E88
— GCU Men's Basketball (@GCU_MBB) July 30, 2021
GCU Men's Basketball vs. IU Indy - Postgame with Coach Drew
Tuesday, December 23
GCU Men's Basketball vs. IU Indy - Postgame with Jaden Henley, Makaih Williams
Tuesday, December 23
GCU Men's Basketball vs. IU Indy - Postgame with Jaden Henley
Tuesday, December 23
GCU Men's Basketball vs. IU Indy - Highlights
Tuesday, December 23