PHOENIX SUNS

Suns fans’ boos couldn’t ruin Dan Majerle’s NBA Draft experience

May 6, 2020, 6:15 AM

Dan Majerle interviews with Doug & Wolf on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. (Matt Layman/Arizona Sports)...

Dan Majerle interviews with Doug & Wolf on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. (Matt Layman/Arizona Sports)

(Matt Layman/Arizona Sports)

Most Phoenix Suns fans know the story of Dan Majerle’s introduction to his first NBA team.

Soon after the Suns selected Majerle in the 1988 NBA Draft out of Central Michigan, coach Cotton Fitzsimmons took to the podium in front of a live crowd. Boos directed toward the team’s decision interrupted his address.

“I cannot help how you feel,” Fitzsimmons said over the crowd. “All I can tell you is this: We couldn’t be happier and I think all you people will be sorry that you ever booed this young man.”

Majerle would only hear of the boos after the fact. And by the time he learned of what happened, none of it mattered.

“I was sitting in the basement of my house in Traverse City with my parents and I could’ve cared less,” he told Doug & Wolf of Arizona Sports. “I had no idea. The story goes, when Milwaukee was picking at 13, they had guaranteed me they were going to take me at 13, so I was just sitting just there (thinking) I’m going to go at 13.

“They took a kid named Jeff Grayer, who was actually from Flint, Michigan, who went to Iowa State. After they picked him, I was like, well, I have no idea where I’m going now. I hadn’t talked to the Phoenix Suns at all. I had one interview with a lady who gave me a test on the phone the night before.”

Majerle got lucky he didn’t have to wait out being selected. The Suns drafted him with the very next pick, at 14th overall.

That quickly erased any chance of building negative feelings after the Bucks passed over Majerle despite their promise. His family taking in the news made that detail and the boos from his new team’s fans just footnotes from Majerle’s perspective.

“When they called my name, I didn’t even know how to spell Phoenix. I had never been out West, but I was just so happy that I was drafted,” Majerle said. “The thing that I’ll remember the most is I looked around and my dad wasn’t down in the basement. My dad was a single-chair barber, worked his whole life from 6 a.m. to 8 in the night. I walked up in the kitchen and my dad was balling. I’d never seen my dad cry, never seen that kind of emotion. To me that said it all, to have that kind of experience with your parents.

“They could boo me all they want. I knew I could change everybody’s mind ’cause that’s what I’ve always done.”

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Phoenix Suns

Jusuf Nurkic...

Damon Allred

Jusuf Nurkic questionable for Suns’ matchup with Thunder; Bradley Beal no longer listed

The Phoenix Suns are listing center Jusuf Nurkic questionable for a matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.

16 hours ago

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets is guarded by Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns during th...

Kellan Olson

Suns respond to season’s low point with thorough win over Nuggets

The guessing game of which Suns team shows up on which night persists. The best current version did on Wednesday in a win over the Nuggets.

1 day ago

Bradley Beal #3 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the second half against the Boston Celtics at T...

David Veenstra

Bradley Beal in, Jusuf Nurkic out for Suns’ matchup with Nuggets

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal is active for Wednesday's matchup with the Denver Nuggets while center Jusuf Nurkic is out.

2 days ago

Tyler Kolek, Marquette...

Damon Allred

Here’s who Phoenix Suns fans should watch in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

The Suns' first round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft sits at No. 19 overall, and they could select a star from the NCAA Tournament.

2 days ago

Phoenix Suns take on San Antonio Spurs...

Arizona Sports

O’Neale: Phoenix Suns took Spurs ‘too lightly’ in glaring loss

The Phoenix Suns' lack of effort was on display Monday night against the San Antonio Spurs, leading to an honest film session.

2 days ago

...

Arizona Sports Video

Video: Royce O’Neale: Suns took Spurs “a little too lightly”

Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale joined Burns & Gambo to talk about the team's disappointing loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night, and to look ahead at the team's remaining schedule, as they continue to make a push toward the NBA playoffs.

3 days ago

Suns fans’ boos couldn’t ruin Dan Majerle’s NBA Draft experience