Former Phoenix Suns All-Star Dan Majerle says that he was actually called Dan “Thunder” Majerle at Central Michigan until legendary sports broadcaster Al McCoy nicknamed him “Thunder Dan” in the NBA.
(via Phoenix Suns Since ’68: Thunder Dan’s Nickname):
Majerle: “Well, it was Dan Thunder Majerle, because back at Central Michigan I was playing and I was an inside player. I dunked a lot, didn’t shoot any threes, crashed the boards. We had a guy named Ervin Lighting Leavy who was an outside shooter, so they termed us Thunder & Lighting. I wasn’t keen on it at all to tell you the truth. I actually hated it because it was Dan Thunder Majerle, whatever. So when I left for Phoenix, I thought it was over, good riddance.”
McCoy: “We played a preseason game at Central Michigan, which was the alma mater of Dan.”
Majerle: “The first game my rookie year, we had an exhibition game back at Central Michigan. We went into the arena and during introductions the PA announcer for Central Michigan called me Dan Thunder Majerle. Al McCoy was there being the professional that he is, picked up on me, and instead of saying Dan Thunder, he called me Thunder Dan.”
McCoy: “And that’s when we finally found out that there had been a Thunder at Central Michigan.”
Majerle: “So, he brought it back to Phoenix. I wasn’t happy at the time.”
McCoy: “We saw him develop as a player. He brought that challenge, that enthusiasm, that intensity, that the Thunder Dan certainly applied to him.”
Majerle: “But, it kinda grew on me. And to this day, people still call me Thunder Dan.”
