Dan Majerle Named Coach At Grand Canyon University

Dan Majerle, one of the most popular players ever to wear a uniform for the Phoenix Suns, was introduced Monday as the new head coach for men’s basketball at Grand Canyon University to a thunderous standing ovation at GCU Arena.

And the 47-year-old coach, who played 14 seasons in the NBA, arrived with a deal to offer purple-clad fans of the Antelopes: a 20 percent discount the same day at any one of his four namesake restaurants in metro Phoenix.

“Apparently my restaurant’s going to be pretty busy, so I probably need to get down there and flip some burgers, Majerle joked after being introduced by Keith Baker, GCU’s director of athletics, to a crowd of about 1,000 — most of them GCU employees, as students are on spring break this week.

Brian Mueller, GCU’s president and chief executive officer, and Jerry Colangelo, retained by Mueller as a special assistant during the University’s transition to NCAA Division I, also addressed the crowd before Majerle met the media for interviews in the Arena’s Antelope Reception Center.

The occasion marked a harmonic convergence of sorts. Twenty-five years ago, GCU won the last of three NAIA national basketball championships and the Suns made Majerle their No. 1 draft choice out of Central Michigan University. And 20 years ago, a Colangelo-owned Suns team that included Majerle and was coached by former GCU coach Paul Westphal lost in a memorable NBA Finals to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

, Dan Majerle Named Coach At Grand Canyon University

http://www.gculopes.com/news/2013/3/18/MBB_0318130153.aspx

Dan Majerle, one of the most popular players ever to wear a uniform for the Phoenix Suns, was introduced Monday as the new head coach for men’s basketball at Grand Canyon University to a thunderous standing ovation at GCU Arena. And the 47-year-old coach, who played 14 seasons in the NBA, arrived with a deal to offer purple-clad fans of the Antelopes: a 20 percent discount the same day at any one of his four namesake restaurants in metro Phoenix. Apparently my restaurant’s going to be pretty busy, so I probably need to get down there and flip some burgers, ” Majerle joked after being introduced by Keith Baker, GCU’s director of athletics, to a crowd of about 1,000 — most of them GCU employees, as students are on spring break this week. Brian Mueller, GCU’s president and chief executive officer, and Jerry Colangelo, retained by Mueller as a special assistant during the University’s transition to NCAA Division I, also addressed the crowd before Majerle met the media for interviews in the Arena’s Antelope Reception Center. The occasion marked a harmonic convergence of sorts. Twenty-five years ago, GCU won the last of three NAIA national basketball championships and the Suns made Majerle their No. 1 draft choice out of Central Michigan University. And 20 years ago, a Colangelo-owned Suns team that included Majerle and was coached by former GCU coach Paul Westphal lost in a memorable NBA Finals to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.