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Grand Canyon University Athletics
Photo by: NCAA
NCAA gives McGlothan pro treatment
9/12/2023 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro, Lopes Insider Blog
GCU standout selected with 13 others for Elite Student-Athlete Symposium
When Grand Canyon graduate Gabe McGlothan was first recommended for the NCAA Men's Basketball Elite Student-Athlete Symposium, he declined because of the time it meant he would be away from the Lopes program.
Once GCU head coach Bryce Drew circled back with McGlothan on an opportunity with "elite" in the title, McGlothan accepted the chance to be one of 14 hand-picked attendees and wound up experiencing a transformative weekend at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis.
What initially looked like a businesslike menu proved to feed his mind and confidence more than he expected this weekend.
"I felt like I got flowers for some of the stuff I've achieved," said McGlothan, who has helped GCU to two NCAA tournament appearances since 2021. "I've never been the first guy to be talked about on a team in college. I know my value and worth, and I know it's pivotal, but it does eat at you sometimes that I'm always overlooked, always the underdog. This was a super pivotal and influential thing in my life because it put in perspective that God was like, 'I'm going to give you give this moment to soak up what you can here, but just know that you're on the right path.' "
Alongside NBA draft prospects such as Nae'Qwan Tomlin of Kansas State and Dillon Jones of Weber State, McGlothan was part of a three-day symposium packed with 19 hours of career-scope programming that filled his journal with copious notes.
Accomplished speakers hit their areas of expertise to give McGlothan and the other players life skills training for on- and off-court success while maintaining a holistic approach for physical and mental wellness.
McGlothan is a known basketball commodity after averaging 13.1 points and 7.6 rebounds last season, when he averaged 17.4 points over the final 11 games to shift the Lopes' postseason prospects.
But when he saw "mock interview" on the slate, he figured it was going to be another cold splash in the face about preparing for life after basketball. Instead, it was a session about preparing for NBA draft and professional team interviews, reminding the engineering graduate that he was there as a basketball standout too.
"Everyone says on the academic side, when the ball goes flat, you're going to have to interview and your sport has taught you many skills," McGlothan said. "They call those translational skills that you can leverage. The same goes for trying to get a job in basketball. I can show that in academic work how I was committed, focused and knew the hard work it took. I was persevering when there were games or we were on the road and conditions weren't the best to do homework."
Accompanied by GCU assistant director of student-athlete development Jerome Garrison, McGlothan heard first-day sessions from former Marquette, Indiana and Georgia coach Tom Crean and one on "Name, Image and Likeness" from NCAA assistant director of NIL Derrick Coles and brand management expert Carrie Cecil, the CEO of Anchel Communications.
"Everyone thinks it's social media or sponsorships, but who are you?" McGlothan said. "What name, image and likeness are you giving off on a daily basis? Are you likable?"
The symposium was organized by the NCAA's Leadership Development department, where former GCU track athlete Mia Corners is a postgraduate intern to make for a Lopes reunion with McGlothan. Part of McGlothan's inclusion came from his role as WAC representative to the NCAA Men's Basketball Student-Athlete Engagement Group.
"There's still so much I need to learn," McGlothan said. "There's still so much I need to grow in and get better at. But being there showed there is truth to when you're getting recruited and they say grades matter and it's important how you treat people."
The symposium's longer second day featured former NBA players Kenny Gattison, Tony Massenburg and Cherokee Parks, as well as a college star whose NBA career lasted two 10-day contracts. Three years after starring at Arizona State, Stevin "Hedake" Smith's role in a pointshaving scandal came to light and led to him spending a year in prison for sports bribery.
"He spoke about consequences, and how he was very lucky and blessed to continue his basketball career overseas after he got out," McGlothan said.
The day also heard from former Phoenix Suns G League head coach Ty Ellis and touched on mental health and financial advising.
The final day locked in on basketball with sports agent talk and insight from NBA director of player development Erjaam Hayes, G League basketball affairs and personnel lead Brad Jones, National Basketball Players Association senior regional director Tim McCormick and NBATV analyst and former NBA star Dennis Scott.
The experience brought McGlothan full circle back to when he headed for Army, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, after graduating from Basha High School in Chandler. When a yearning to pursue basketball to its fullest returned, he said he was told that he was making a dumb mistake and would amount to nothing.
Being selected for the symposium validated a path that was made difficult at times, including a transfer from Southeast Missouri to GCU, knee surgery or an arduous academic major coinciding with a starting role for the Lopes.
"It got me emotional sitting there thinking, 'I am really here and they're talking about how to manage the NBA and G League,' " McGlothan said. "You're seen as someone who could be in that position and that's why you're here.
"It was getting to me that, 'I'm close.' Even just sitting in this opportunity as one of 14 people, I know I'm obviously not there, but I'm closer than I ever thought, and I'm closer than they ever thought I'd be. And I thought, 'You only have one year left. What are going to make of it.?' "
Once GCU head coach Bryce Drew circled back with McGlothan on an opportunity with "elite" in the title, McGlothan accepted the chance to be one of 14 hand-picked attendees and wound up experiencing a transformative weekend at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis.
What initially looked like a businesslike menu proved to feed his mind and confidence more than he expected this weekend."I felt like I got flowers for some of the stuff I've achieved," said McGlothan, who has helped GCU to two NCAA tournament appearances since 2021. "I've never been the first guy to be talked about on a team in college. I know my value and worth, and I know it's pivotal, but it does eat at you sometimes that I'm always overlooked, always the underdog. This was a super pivotal and influential thing in my life because it put in perspective that God was like, 'I'm going to give you give this moment to soak up what you can here, but just know that you're on the right path.' "
Alongside NBA draft prospects such as Nae'Qwan Tomlin of Kansas State and Dillon Jones of Weber State, McGlothan was part of a three-day symposium packed with 19 hours of career-scope programming that filled his journal with copious notes.
Accomplished speakers hit their areas of expertise to give McGlothan and the other players life skills training for on- and off-court success while maintaining a holistic approach for physical and mental wellness.
McGlothan is a known basketball commodity after averaging 13.1 points and 7.6 rebounds last season, when he averaged 17.4 points over the final 11 games to shift the Lopes' postseason prospects.
But when he saw "mock interview" on the slate, he figured it was going to be another cold splash in the face about preparing for life after basketball. Instead, it was a session about preparing for NBA draft and professional team interviews, reminding the engineering graduate that he was there as a basketball standout too.
"Everyone says on the academic side, when the ball goes flat, you're going to have to interview and your sport has taught you many skills," McGlothan said. "They call those translational skills that you can leverage. The same goes for trying to get a job in basketball. I can show that in academic work how I was committed, focused and knew the hard work it took. I was persevering when there were games or we were on the road and conditions weren't the best to do homework."Accompanied by GCU assistant director of student-athlete development Jerome Garrison, McGlothan heard first-day sessions from former Marquette, Indiana and Georgia coach Tom Crean and one on "Name, Image and Likeness" from NCAA assistant director of NIL Derrick Coles and brand management expert Carrie Cecil, the CEO of Anchel Communications.
"Everyone thinks it's social media or sponsorships, but who are you?" McGlothan said. "What name, image and likeness are you giving off on a daily basis? Are you likable?"
The symposium was organized by the NCAA's Leadership Development department, where former GCU track athlete Mia Corners is a postgraduate intern to make for a Lopes reunion with McGlothan. Part of McGlothan's inclusion came from his role as WAC representative to the NCAA Men's Basketball Student-Athlete Engagement Group.
"There's still so much I need to learn," McGlothan said. "There's still so much I need to grow in and get better at. But being there showed there is truth to when you're getting recruited and they say grades matter and it's important how you treat people."
The symposium's longer second day featured former NBA players Kenny Gattison, Tony Massenburg and Cherokee Parks, as well as a college star whose NBA career lasted two 10-day contracts. Three years after starring at Arizona State, Stevin "Hedake" Smith's role in a pointshaving scandal came to light and led to him spending a year in prison for sports bribery.
"He spoke about consequences, and how he was very lucky and blessed to continue his basketball career overseas after he got out," McGlothan said.
The day also heard from former Phoenix Suns G League head coach Ty Ellis and touched on mental health and financial advising.
The final day locked in on basketball with sports agent talk and insight from NBA director of player development Erjaam Hayes, G League basketball affairs and personnel lead Brad Jones, National Basketball Players Association senior regional director Tim McCormick and NBATV analyst and former NBA star Dennis Scott.
The experience brought McGlothan full circle back to when he headed for Army, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, after graduating from Basha High School in Chandler. When a yearning to pursue basketball to its fullest returned, he said he was told that he was making a dumb mistake and would amount to nothing.Being selected for the symposium validated a path that was made difficult at times, including a transfer from Southeast Missouri to GCU, knee surgery or an arduous academic major coinciding with a starting role for the Lopes.
"It got me emotional sitting there thinking, 'I am really here and they're talking about how to manage the NBA and G League,' " McGlothan said. "You're seen as someone who could be in that position and that's why you're here.
"It was getting to me that, 'I'm close.' Even just sitting in this opportunity as one of 14 people, I know I'm obviously not there, but I'm closer than I ever thought, and I'm closer than they ever thought I'd be. And I thought, 'You only have one year left. What are going to make of it.?' "
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballMakaih Williams | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04
Dusty Stromer | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04
Kaleb Smith | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04
Non-Conference Schedule Release | Men's Basketball
Monday, August 04