Jerry Colangelo
Inducted:
2004
Player Stats
Born
November 20, 1939
Chicago Heights, Illinois, U.S.
Position
Executive
College
Illinois (1960–1962)
Jerry Colangelo is one of the most powerful and transformative figures in the history of professional sports. After starting his career with the Chicago Bulls, he moved to Arizona in 1968 to become the first General Manager of the expansion Phoenix Suns at just 29 years old—making him the youngest GM in pro sports history. Over the next four decades, he became the "Godfather" of Arizona sports, eventually owning the Suns and leading the group that brought Major League Baseball (the Diamondbacks) and the NHL (the Coyotes) to the desert.
Colangelo’s influence reshaped the NBA through his long tenure on the Board of Governors and his role in founding the WNBA in 1997. However, his most significant global contribution was his takeover of USA Basketball in 2005. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2004.
Colangelo's Awards and Honors
- 23 jersey honored by Illinois Fighting Illini
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2004)
- Phoenix Suns Ring of Honor (2007)
- 2x FIBA World Cup Gold Medalist (2010, 2014)
- World Series Champion (2001 - Arizona Diamondbacks Owner)
- Arizona Sports Hall of Fame
- Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity
NBA Records
- 4x NBA Executive of the Year (Most for a single franchise)
NBA Position
NBA Executive (1968–2004)
NBA Stats
Phoenix Suns Tenure:
1968–2004 (GM, Owner, CEO)
NBA Executive of the Year:
4 (1976, 1981, 1989, 1993)
USA Basketball Tenure:
2005–2021 (Managing Director)
Olympic Gold Medals:
4 (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020)
NBA Finals Appearances:
2 (1976, 1993)
BHOF Chairman:
2009–Present