Okay... I'll play
#1 - Dr. Dave Brazell: While Dr. Brazell is most often associated with baseball at GCU (and rightfully so), the reality is he birthed and coached several different athletics teams at GCU over his long career. I put him on my Mt. Rushmore because he assembled and coached the 1958-59 MBB team that still stands as GCU's only undefeated National Championship team (all sports) in school history. He is also responsible for beginning the integration of GCU athletics by recruiting and signing my second choice...
#2 - T.C. Dean: Though he was already in the GCU Hall of Fame as a member of the enshrined 1958-59 MBB team, T.C. Dean was inducted as an individual earlier this year for being the University's first African American graduate, a record-setting basketball player and an Education graduate who became a teacher and administrator in Phoenix schools for 50 years. Mr. Dean is also still the #2 all-time rebounder in GCU history. Who is #1, you ask? See my #3 below...
I met Mr. Dean while out in the community back in 2017 and he saw I was wearing GCU gear. We had an incredible conversation and I learned so much about his life and playing basketball for GCU during those days. Mr. Dean is a true GCU treasure and trailblazer, and I believe wholeheartedly that his #13 should be retired and hung from the rafters in GCU Arena.
#3 - Bayard Forrest: Mr. Forrest still stands atop the GCU MBB record books as the all-time points and rebounds leader, scoring 2195 career points and snagging 1544 career rebounds. Forrest was part of GCU's first NAIA National Championship team in 1975, and was the first individual student-athlete inducted into the GCU Athletics Hall of Fame. Mr. Forrest's game was so nice, he was drafted not once, not twice, but THRICE:
- 3rd round pick (54th overall) by the Phoenix Suns in the 1975 NBA Draft (opted to return to GCU)
- 6th round pick (56th overall) by the San Antonio Spurs in the 1975 ABA Draft (opted to return to GCU)
- 2nd round pick (19th overall) by the Seattle Supersonics in the 1976 NBA Draft (opted for Athletes in Action ministry position)
After spending a year in ministry, Mr. Forrest did end up signing a free agent deal with the Phoenix Suns and backed up Alvin Adams on a team that made a run to the 1979 Western Conference Finals. Ironically for Forrest, that season ended at the hands of the Seattle Supersonics.
#4 - Joshua Braun: Braun finished his GCU career as the #2 all-time leading scorer, still nearly 500 points behind Bayard Forrest. There is probably a conversation to be had about Braun's injuries and apparent decline over his last season and a half of play, but we'll save that for another day. For now, in addition to being named to an all-conference team following each of his 4 years as a GCU player, Braun was named a two-time First Team Academic All-American. JB was a good dude with strong game for maybe 70% of his career, even if some Lopes fans will always be left to wonder "what if" with him. (My guess is every school has those guys, though.)