 Colangelo in 2010 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 20, 1939 Chicago Heights, Illinois, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school | Bloom Township (Chicago Heights, Illinois) |
| College | Illinois (1960–1962) |
| Position | Guard |
| Number | 23 |
| Career history | |
| As coach: | |
| 1970, 1972–1973 | Phoenix Suns |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
As player:
As executive:
| |
| Basketball Hall of Fame | |
Medals | |
Jerry Colangelo (born November 20, 1939[1]) is an American businessman and sports executive. He formerly owned the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, the Arizona Sandsharks of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League, and the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball. He was also instrumental in the relocation of the original Winnipeg Jets team in the NHL to Phoenix to become the Phoenix Coyotes (later renamed to the Arizona Coyotes, now the Utah Hockey Club). In 2014, Grand Canyon University renamed its Christian based school of business after Jerry Colangelo, replacing Ken Blanchard's namesake.[2] From December 2015 to April 2016, Colangelo served as chairman of basketball operations for the Philadelphia 76ers, before serving as a special advisor to the team until December 2018.
He became the youngest general manager in professional sports in 1968 after being hired to that position by the Phoenix Suns. He holds the distinction of the second-longest tenure running an NBA franchise, exceeded only by that of Red Auerbach of the Boston Celtics.[3]
In the summer of 2005, Colangelo was named director of USA Basketball whose team represented the United States in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2010 FIBA World Championship. Since 2009, he has served as Chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.[4] Colangelo also serves as Chairman of the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), a nonprofit nonpartisan educational foundation that promotes Italian-American culture and heritage.
- ^ Blevins, Dave (2011). The Sports Hall of Fame Encyclopedia: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey, Soccer. Scarecrow Press. p. 189. ISBN 9781461673705.
- ^ "Grand Canyon University names business school after Jerry Colangelo". Phoenix Business Journal. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
- ^ "Jerry Colangelo". National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on September 15, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
- ^ "Colangelo to chair Hall of Fame". ESPN. Associated Press. December 2, 2009.