Rick Majerus

Richard Raymond Majerus (February 17, 1948 – December 1, 2012) was an American basketball coach and TV analyst. He coached at Marquette University (1983–1986), Ball State University (1987–1989), the University of Utah (1989–2004), and Saint Louis University (2007–2012). Majerus's most successful season came at Utah in the 1997–98 season, when the Utes finished as runners-up in the 1998 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Majerus was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.

Early life Majerus was the son of Alyce and Raymond Majerus, a Kohler factory worker and labor leader who was at one time secretary-treasurer of the United Auto Workers. Rick was raised with sisters Jodi and Tracy.

As a teenager, Rick accompanied his father to the civil rights marches in Selma, Alabama, an experience that had a profound impact on him. A voracious reader, he read four complete newspapers a day according to his sisters.

Majerus graduated from Marquette University High School in 1966. He stayed in Milwaukee, attending Marquette University, where he was the first in his family to attend college. He tried out as a walk-on in the 1967 season and played for the Marquette freshman team. He did not play varsity basketball for Marquette, but stayed on as a student assistant. He graduated in 1970 with a bachelor's degree in history.

While at Utah, he was known for living out of a hotel room, noting that he liked that "There's clean towels, my bed is turned down every night and there's a mint on my pillow, no matter what psychological or emotional crisis the maid is going through."

1994 Team USA He was an assistant coach under Don Nelson for the US national team in the 1994 FIBA World Championship, winning the gold medal.

Majerus left the Utah team after the opening game of the 2000–01 season to rehabilitate his right knee. Intending to return after the first week of 2001, Majerus was hospitalized on New Year's Day 2001 due to chest pains. Later in January 2001, Majerus announced that he would sit out the rest of the season to recover from his own health problems and to be with his ailing mother. He handed over the team to assistant Dick Hunsaker, who guided the team to a 19–10 record and an NIT appearance.

Majerus was accused of berating and verbally abuse his players. Lance Allred, who wrote about it in his autobiography Longshot: The Adventures of a Deaf Fundamentalist Mormon Kid and His Journey to the NBA, told of his three years at Utah and that Majerus would humiliate him, often targeting his disability—Allred being partially deaf and requiring hearing aids. Allred transferred after the 2001–02 season, but Majerus was later "cleared of any wrongdoing."

He left Utah in January 2004 after 15 seasons and a 323–95 (.773) record, in part to get control of his health.

USC resignation (2004) On December 15, 2004, Majerus was hired as coach of the University of Southern California basketball team; he was to replace interim coach Jim Saia, who was replacing fired coach Henry Bibby, with Majerus taking over effective April 1, 2005. His contract was scheduled to pay him $5 million over five years.

Majerus gave an energetic and humorous press conference on the day of his hire, but also noted "I hope I die here. I hope I coach here the rest of my life." In order to take the position, he needed to buy himself out of his contract as an analyst for ESPN. However, Majerus unexpectedly resigned only five days later in a somber, and at times weeping, press conference. He apologized to the university and stated that his health and fitness were not yet at a stage where he thought he could perform his new duties, noting "I wanted this job so bad I was in denial where my health actually is [...] I realized [USC] wasn't getting the guy they hired. I came to that conclusion myself. I'm not fit for this job by my standards." Years later, however, Majerus would claim that the true reason for his change of mind had not been his health, but rather had been his mother's request that he not take the job, which would have meant his relocation to Los Angeles, far removed from her home in Wisconsin.

ESPN analyst (2004–2007) Majerus worked as a game and studio analyst for ESPN from 2004 to 2007.

Saint Louis (2007–2012) On April 27, 2007, Majerus accepted the head coaching position at Saint Louis University; his contract was for six years. His tenure at SLU got off to a rocky start; in their first conference game, the Billikens set an NCAA Division I record for fewest points scored in a game in the modern era of college basketball, losing 49–20 to George Washington. However, as he had done previously at other programs, Majerus eventually made SLU a winning program. In 2012, he led the Billikens to their first NCAA Tournament in 12 years, and their first appearance in a major poll in 17 years.

On August 24, 2012, Majerus announced he would not coach the 2012–13 season due to serious heart problems. Jim Crews, one of his assistants, took over for him on a temporary basis for that season. On November 16, it was announced that Majerus was retiring when it was apparent that his heart condition would not improve enough to allow him to return.

Majerus compiled a 95–69 (.579) record at St. Louis University and retired with an overall NCAA record of 517–215 (.706).

On September 18, 2023, SLU named its basketball practice court after the late coach, with his sisters and former players attending the dedication ceremony.

Health and eventual death For years, Majerus battled health problems due to obesity. He missed all but the first six games of the 1989–90 season, which was his first at Utah, after undergoing septuple-bypass surgery. A public memorial service for current and former athletes, coaches, students, and members of the St. Louis and SLU community was held on Friday, December 7, 2012, at 3:30 p.m. at Chaifetz Arena on the SLU campus. His private funeral service was held at Milwaukee's Church of the Gesu on Saturday, December 8.

Saint Louis University athletic director Chris May said of Majerus "His enduring passion to see his players excel both on and off the court. He truly embraced the term 'student-athlete,' and I think that will be his lasting legacy." The family was Catholic.

Majerus was married to Deor Mary Hitt for two years in the mid-1980s and dated the same woman in the last 25 years of his life. Majerus was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame on November 24, 2019. Rick Majerus Court at SLU's Chaifetz Pavilion was dedicated on September 18, 2023

Head coaching record Coached the first six games before undergoing heart surgery. Assistant Joe Cravens coached the rest of the season. Coached the first game before taking a personal leave of absence. Assistant Dick Hunsaker coached the rest of the season. Coached the first 20 games before retiring due to health concerns. Assistant Kerry Rupp coached the rest of the season.

Published works In 2000, he released an autobiography, My Life on a Napkin: Pillow Mints, Playground Dreams and Coaching the Runnin' Utes , co-written by Gene Wojciechowski.