.JPG) Majerle in 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1965-09-09)September 9, 1965 (age 60) Traverse City, Michigan, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | |||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 222 lb (101 kg) | |||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||
| High school | Traverse City (Traverse City, Michigan) | |||||||||||||||||
| College | Central Michigan (1984–1988) | |||||||||||||||||
| NBA draft | 1988: 1st round, 14th overall pick | |||||||||||||||||
| Drafted by | Phoenix Suns | |||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 1988–2002 | |||||||||||||||||
| Position | Shooting guard /small forward | |||||||||||||||||
| Number | 9 | |||||||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 2008–present | |||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||
Playing | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1995 | Phoenix Suns | |||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Cleveland Cavaliers | |||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2001 | Miami Heat | |||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | Phoenix Suns | |||||||||||||||||
Coaching | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2013 | Phoenix Suns (associate HC) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2020 | Grand Canyon | |||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights | ||||||||||||||||||
As player:
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 10,925 (11.4 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 4,265 (4.5 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 2,755 (2.9 apg) | |||||||||||||||||
Stats at NBA.com  | ||||||||||||||||||
| Stats atBasketball Reference | ||||||||||||||||||
Medals
| ||||||||||||||||||
Daniel Lewis Majerle (/ˈmɑːrli/; born September 9, 1965), also known by the nickname "Thunder Dan", is an American former professionalbasketball player and former coach of theGrand Canyon Antelopes. He played 14 years in theNational Basketball Association (NBA) with thePhoenix Suns,Miami Heat, andCleveland Cavaliers. He won a bronze medal with theU.S. national team at the1988 Summer Olympics inSeoul, and a gold medal at the1994 FIBA World Championship.[2]
Born and raised inTraverse City, Michigan, Majerle starred forTraverse City High School (now Central) andCentral Michigan University inMount Pleasant,[3] where he played for four years with averages of 21.8 points and 8.9 rebounds a game. In 1987, he helped lead the Chippewas to the NCAA Tournament. He held the school season record for points untilMarcus Keene broke the mark in the2016–17 season.
Majerle's great-grandfather Frank Majerle Sr. emigrated to the United States in 1901 at age 20 from what is nowSlovenia but was then part ofAustria-Hungary. Frank Sr. settled inHaring, Michigan, and married American-born Anna Suhorepec (anglicized to Suhropetz) whose parents were also fromYugoslavia, more specifically Slovenia.
The Suns selected Majerle with the 14th pick of the1988 NBA draft, which the Suns acquired (along withKevin Johnson) in a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers forLarry Nance.[4] During the draft, he was promptly booed when his name was announced over the public address system. Suns coachCotton Fitzsimmons publicly chastised the Suns fans and told them "you'll be sorry you ever booed this young man".[5] In his rookie season Majerle played in 54 games and started in 5, averaging 8.6 points as a bench player.[6] The Suns won 55 games and made the playoffs, and Majerle increased his scoring average to 14.3 points a game[7] as Phoenix advanced all the way to the Western Conference Finals before losing to the defending championLos Angeles Lakers.[8]
The young Majerle continued to be used as a backup for the next two seasons and became popular for his impressive jumping ability and "thunderous"slam dunk that would lead to his nickname "Thunder Dan". During the1989–90 season, he started in 23 games and increased his scoring average to 11 points a game as the Suns again advanced to the Western Conference Finals where this time they were eliminated by thePortland Trail Blazers.[9] Despite another successful season for Majerle and the Suns in the1990–91 season, they fell in the first round of the playoffs to theUtah Jazz. Majerle had become an effective three-point shooter and defensive specialist and was named to the 1990–91 NBA All-Defensive Second team at the conclusion of the season.[10]
The 1992 season featured more improvement for Majerle, who had become an even more effective three-point shooter and defensive specialist. Despite starting in just 15 of the 82 games he played in, Majerle was selected to play in the1992 NBA All-Star Game. The Suns again made the playoffs but lost in the conference semifinals to Portland. In the offseason, Phoenix managed to pull off a major step towards an NBA title, as they acquired superstar forwardCharles Barkley in a trade with thePhiladelphia 76ers.[11]
The Suns had improved significantly with the addition of Barkley, while the trade itself which featured the departure of guardJeff Hornacek meant that Majerle now served as the team's starting shooting guard. The result was a 62-win season for Phoenix, with Barkley winning the Most Valuable Player Award and Majerle finishing second on the team in scoring while being named to his second NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Majerle also finished first in the NBA in three-point field goals made and attempted, and scored 18 points in the1993 NBA All-Star Game. The Suns entered the playoffs as the number 1 seed in the Western Conference, and defeated the Lakers, theSan Antonio Spurs and theSeattle SuperSonics to reach theNBA Finals with Majerle averaging 15 points in the playoffs and posting big games such as a 34-point performance in the 5th game against Seattle. In the Finals, the Suns faced the defending championChicago Bulls led byMichael Jordan andScottie Pippen. Despite having home court advantage the Suns could not beat the 2-time champions, who won in 6 games to win three championships in a row. Majerle performed well in the Suns win in game 3, scoring 28 points in the win in Chicago.
Majerle would again lead the league in three-point field goals and attempts in the1993–94 season, as the Suns won 56 games and made the playoffs before losing to the eventual championHouston Rockets in a 7-game semifinal series. He would then go on to play for Team USA and win in the World Championships in Canada. He would earn another selection to the All-Star game in the following season, scoring 10 points in the1995 NBA All-Star Game which was held in Phoenix. Despite this, Majerle started in 46 games, playing small forward often as the team now featuredWesley Person at shooting guard and veteranA.C. Green at forward. The Suns again lost in the semifinals to Houston in 7 games, and Majerle was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the offseason.
In Cleveland, Majerle was used as a reserve at small forward, starting in 15 of the 82 games behindChris Mills and averaging 10.6 points a game. The Cavaliers won 47 games before losing to theNew York Knicks in a 3-game sweep in the first round, with Majerle increasing his scoring to 16.7 (second on the team) during the series. In the offseason the Cavaliers released Majerle, and he would go on to sign with theMiami Heat.
The Heat were a team with a bright future, as they featured all-starsAlonzo Mourning andTim Hardaway, and were coached byPat Riley. Injuries limited Majerle to 36 games during the1996–97 season, as the Heat managed to win a franchise-best 61 games and the Atlantic Division. During the regular season, on December 7, 1996, against the Chicago Bulls, Majerle made a three-pointer with one second remaining to win the game 83–80.[12] In the playoffs, the veteran Majerle was in healthy shape, and the Heat beat the up-and-comingOrlando Magic in the first round before facing the Knicks in a grueling 7-game series in which Majerle scored 18 points in the sixth game. The Heat would eventually fall to the defending champion Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals in 5 games.
Majerle would again play as the team's backup small forward in the1997–98 season, averaging 7 points a game as one of the team's main three-point threats, and Miami would post another winning season before losing to New York in the first round of the playoffs. The1998–99 season would be shortened to 50 games as a result of a league lockout, and with teammateVoshon Lenard hurt for much of the season, Majerle stepped in to start in 48 games. Miami won another Atlantic Division title, but again lost to New York in 5 games in the first round.
The team continued to use Majerle as a starter during the1999–2000 season, as he started in 69 of 82 games and again averaged 7 points during the season. In the playoffs, Miami defeated theDetroit Pistons in the first round before facing the Knicks in another 7-game series in which New York again prevailed. Majerle averaged 9 points in the playoffs and led the team with 20 three-point field goals. In the 2000 offseason it was revealed that Alonzo Mourning would not play as a result of a kidney disease, and the2000–01 season would feature new acquisitions such asEddie Jones andAnthony Mason, and Majerle would serve as a reserve. The Heat would lose in the first round of the playoffs in a sweep to theCharlotte Hornets, and in the offseason Majerle would sign a deal returning to his original team in Phoenix.
In his return to the Suns, Majerle received much praise and applause from the hometown Suns fans, playing in 65 games and leading the team in three-point field goals made with 79. His NBA career finished on April 17, 2002, when he officially retired as a member of his original team.
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| * | Led the league |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988–89 | Phoenix | 54 | 5 | 25.1 | .419 | .329 | .614 | 3.9 | 2.4 | 1.2 | .3 | 8.6 |
| 1989–90 | Phoenix | 73 | 23 | 30.7 | .424 | .238 | .762 | 5.9 | 2.6 | 1.4 | .4 | 11.1 |
| 1990–91 | Phoenix | 77 | 7 | 29.6 | .484 | .349 | .762 | 5.4 | 2.8 | 1.4 | .5 | 13.6 |
| 1991–92 | Phoenix | 82 | 15 | 34.8 | .478 | .382 | .756 | 5.9 | 3.3 | 1.6 | .5 | 17.3 |
| 1992–93 | Phoenix | 82 | 82 | 39.0 | .464 | .381 | .778 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 1.7 | .4 | 16.9 |
| 1993–94 | Phoenix | 80 | 76 | 40.1 | .418 | .382 | .739 | 4.4 | 3.4 | 1.6 | .5 | 16.5 |
| 1994–95 | Phoenix | 82* | 46 | 37.7 | .425 | .363 | .730 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 1.2 | .5 | 15.6 |
| 1995–96 | Cleveland | 82 | 15 | 28.9 | .405 | .353 | .710 | 3.7 | 2.6 | 1.0 | .4 | 10.6 |
| 1996–97 | Miami | 36 | 26 | 35.1 | .406 | .338 | .678 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 1.5 | .4 | 10.8 |
| 1997–98 | Miami | 72 | 22 | 26.8 | .419 | .376 | .784 | 3.7 | 2.2 | .9 | .2 | 7.2 |
| 1998–99 | Miami | 48 | 48 | 33.8 | .396 | .335 | .717 | 4.3 | 3.1 | .8 | .1 | 7.0 |
| 1999–00 | Miami | 69 | 69 | 33.4 | .403 | .362 | .812 | 4.8 | 3.0 | 1.3 | .2 | 7.3 |
| 2000–01 | Miami | 53 | 19 | 24.6 | .336 | .315 | .818 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 1.0 | .3 | 5.0 |
| 2001–02 | Phoenix | 65 | 1 | 18.2 | .343 | .336 | .590 | 2.7 | 1.4 | .7 | .2 | 4.6 |
| Career | 955 | 454 | 31.6 | .431 | .358 | .741 | 4.5 | 2.9 | 1.3 | .4 | 11.4 | |
| All-Star | 3 | 1 | 19.3 | .429 | .333 | .750 | 5.0 | 2.7 | .3 | .7 | 10.7 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Phoenix | 12 | 0 | 29.3 | .438 | .286 | .792 | 4.8 | 1.2 | 1.1 | .3 | 14.3 |
| 1990 | Phoenix | 16 | 0 | 29.9 | .487 | .333 | .785 | 5.1 | 2.1 | 1.3 | .1 | 12.6 |
| 1991 | Phoenix | 4 | 0 | 27.5 | .375 | .364 | .737 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 1.3 | .3 | 10.5 |
| 1992 | Phoenix | 7 | 0 | 38.0 | .432 | .273 | .962 | 6.3 | 2.9 | 1.4 | .0 | 18.6 |
| 1993 | Phoenix | 24 | 24 | 44.6 | .431 | .394 | .696 | 5.8 | 3.7 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 15.4 |
| 1994 | Phoenix | 10 | 10 | 41.0 | .362 | .339 | .688 | 4.3 | 2.4 | 1.1 | .4 | 12.3 |
| 1995 | Phoenix | 10 | 0 | 30.7 | .370 | .364 | .706 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 1.4 | .3 | 8.2 |
| 1996 | Cleveland | 3 | 0 | 30.3 | .444 | .435 | .889 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 1.3 | .7 | 16.7 |
| 1997 | Miami | 17 | 2 | 29.2 | .393 | .338 | .679 | 4.2 | 2.5 | 1.2 | .2 | 8.0 |
| 1998 | Miami | 2 | 2 | 31.0 | .375 | .333 | .500 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.0 | .5 | 4.5 |
| 1999 | Miami | 5 | 5 | 30.4 | .192 | .227 | .714 | 5.8 | 1.2 | 1.0 | .4 | 4.0 |
| 2000 | Miami | 10 | 10 | 37.2 | .423 | .400 | .714 | 7.0 | 3.2 | 2.1 | .1 | 9.0 |
| 2001 | Miami | 3 | 0 | 23.7 | .313 | .286 | .500 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 1.0 | .0 | 5.3 |
| Career | 123 | 53 | 34.5 | .416 | .353 | .753 | 5.0 | 2.5 | 1.3 | .4 | 11.7 | |
Majerle was inducted into thePhoenix Suns Ring of Honor on March 9, 2003.[13] In 2006, he was inducted into theMichigan Sports Hall of Fame and into theArizona Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. In 2003, Majerle made his broadcasting debut covering the2003 NBA Playoffs forTNT and later became an analyst forESPN. During the2005 All-Star Weekend, he was a member of the Phoenix team that won theShooting Stars Competition.[14]
Majerle was the associate head coach for the Phoenix Suns from 2008 to 2013.
On March 15, 2013, it was announced that Majerle would coach forGrand Canyon University in their first season as a Division I team.[15]
On December 23, 2015, Majerle ledGrand Canyon to their first tournament victory as a Division I team when they won the2015 Global Sports Classic championship.[16]
He was fired on March 17, 2020, after his first losing season, with his seven years stint at Grand Canyon coming to an end. On May 19, 2020, Majerle filed a lawsuit againstGrand Canyon University over the handling of its firing from the head coach position and pending salaries.[17]
Majerle owns a restaurant called "Majerle's Sports Grill" in Phoenix.[18]
He has four children with Tina Majerle (divorced 2006):Madison, McKenzie, Mia, and Max. Max also plays basketball and joined Central Michigan's basketball team in2022.
Majerle married Devney Preuss in 2022.
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Canyon Antelopes(Western Athletic Conference)(2013–2020) | |||||||||
| 2013–14 | Grand Canyon | 15–15 | 10–6 | 3rd | CIT First Round | ||||
| 2014–15 | Grand Canyon | 17–15 | 8–6 | T–2nd | CIT First Round | ||||
| 2015–16 | Grand Canyon | 27–7 | 11–3 | T–2nd | CIT Quarterfinal | ||||
| 2016–17 | Grand Canyon | 22–9 | 11–3 | T–2nd | |||||
| 2017–18 | Grand Canyon | 22–12 | 9–5 | 3rd | CBI First Round | ||||
| 2018–19 | Grand Canyon | 20–14 | 10–6 | 3rd | CBI First Round | ||||
| 2019–20 | Grand Canyon | 13–17 | 8–8 | T–5th | |||||
| Grand Canyon: | 136–89 (.604) | 67–36 (.650) | |||||||
| Total: | 136–89 (.604) | ||||||||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | The Other Dream Team | Himself | Documentary about theLithuania men's national basketball team at the1992 Summer Olympics. | [19] |
Links to related articles | |||||||||||||
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