Shawn Marion, Tim Grgurich give Mavericks’ NBA title some UNLV flavor

By Ryan Greene

Monday, June 13, 2011 | 4 p.m.

The Dallas Mavericks' first NBA championship in franchise history is something many in Las Vegas feel as though they can brag about.

The reason? The UNLV ties within the organization.

Former Rebel Shawn Marion became the first player from the UNLV program to win an NBA title in almost four decades, while also in the celebration on the floor at the American Airlines Arena in Miami on Sunday night was former Rebels assistant coach and head coach Tim Grgurich.

The last former UNLV player to win an NBA title as an active member of a playoff roster was John Trapp, who did so with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1972. Jackie Robinson won with the 1979 Seattle Supersonics, and J.R. Rider did so with the Lakers in 2001, but neither was on the playoff roster.

A junior college transfer, the 6-foot-7 Marion played at UNLV as a junior in 1998-99 before leaving early for the NBA draft. He was selected ninth overall by the Phoenix Suns after averaging 18.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in leading the Rebels to a 16-13 record and an NIT appearance.

Marion was a four-time NBA all-star in Phoenix, where he played for 8.5 seasons, and after finding himself in a holding pattern with Miami and Toronto from 2007-09, he found a comfortable niche with the Mavericks prior to the 2009-10 campaign.

This year, he averaged 12.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, plugging a major gap on the perimeter after starting small forward Caron Butler was lost to a knee injury mid-way through the season. He eventually started all 21 postseason games for the Mavs, and scored 12 points in Sunday's title-clinching 105-95 Game 6 win.

Though Marion's stint in Las Vegas was brief, he still holds a strong place in the hearts of UNLV fans, which is no surprise to current Rebels head coach Dave Rice, who was an assistant on the staff during that 1998-99 season.

"For as talented a guy as he was, he was always just so humble and committed to the team," Rice said. "I was always impressed with his presence and how he carried himself. A lot of that comes from his mom, Elaine, who still lives in Las Vegas."

Grgurich's ties to UNLV run much deeper, as he was the right-hand man to legendary head coach Jerry Tarkanian as an aide from 1981-92, helping the Rebels to three Final Four appearances and the 1990 NCAA championship.

He served as the Rebels' head coach for seven games in the 1994-95 season, leaving the team while citing health reasons. After that came a long, successful run as an NBA assistant with Seattle, Portland, Denver and Dallas. For a stretch, he was the highest paid assistant coach in the league. Now, he has his first championship ring to show for years of being regarded as one of the sharpest basketball minds in the league.

Rice has hinted since his early April hire that Grgurich will be involved in some capacity with the new UNLV staff, which also includes another former pupil of his in Stacey Augmon.

"He was an unbelievable coach, mentor, all of those things," said Rice, who played for Grgurich from 1989-91. "I think he still probably stays with the Mavs, but to have him as a mentor for our staff, to be able to spend time with him as a consultant and to have him just helping out will be big. Whatever that role is, his presence will be a big help in our program."

No matter which way the series went, at least one former Rebel was guaranteed a ring.

Starting at center for Miami was Joel Anthony, who was brought from out of nowhere by former coach Lon Kruger as a juco transfer to UNLV and helped lead the Rebels to the Sweet Sixteen in 2007. As an undrafted free agent, his work ethic and willingness to take on the role of an unsung hero made him a favorite among the Heat brass. They rewarded him before this season with a 5-year, $18 million contract, wanting him as a "glue guy" with a trio of stars — Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh — in place.

The fourth-year pro averaged 2.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 21 playoff games, and on a top-heavy squad for the next few years will likely get another shot or two at an NBA title.

But regardless of who won the series, it gives Rice and his staff more pro-level success from players out of the program to pitch on the recruiting trail in the near future.

"Absolutely, all of these kinds of things resonate with kids," he said. "I think winning an NBA championship and having it associate with your program is huge."