Friends, family help Karl celebrate personal milestones

Nearly 200 friends, family members, mentors and colleagues gathered in suburban Denver on June 25 to pay tribute to Karl for his career success (1,000 regular-season NBA wins), a milestone birthday (60) and his second victory over cancer.

“I’m so proud of George and what he’s accomplished,” said Karl’s life partner Kim Van Deraa, who coordinated the party. “George has 1,036 wins. I tell him that if he’d listen to me every once in a while, he’d have more than that.”

Karl smiled as he stood on stage with Van Deraa and their 6-year-old daughter Kaci Grace. His voice swelled with emotion as he thanked them for helping him survive his battle with head and neck cancer.

“They went through a year of hell,” said Karl, who also beat prostate cancer in 2005. “Without them in my life, I don’t know if I’d be standing here today.”

Attitude Sports & Entertainment basketball analyst Scott Hastings served as emcee for the event at District 475 in Englewood. Also in attendance were Nuggets Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri; former Nuggets point guard Anthony Carter; former North Carolina assistant coach Bill Guthridge; former Nuggets assistants Tim Grgurich and Mike Dunlap; St. Louis University men’s basketball coach Rick Majerus; and Karl’s two oldest children Coby and Kelci.

Kelci recalled some of the best advice she ever received from her dad: Wake up with a smile on your face; don’t worry about what other people think; and treat others with dignity.

“I wouldn’t be the person I am today without you,” Kelci told her father.

Guthridge, the longtime assistant to Hall of Fame North Carolina coach Dean Smith, recalled seeing Karl play for the first time at a Dapper Dan tournament in Pittsburgh in 1969. The coaches were there to see other players, but Karl caught their attention when he converted steals into layups on back-to-back plays.

“Dean said, ‘Go find out who that guy is,’ ” Guthridge recalled. “He’s one of the all-time greats. We cherish our friendship with him.”

Nuggets athletic trainer Jim Gillen also spoke highly of Karl, the 11th head coach he has worked with in 20 seasons with the Nuggets.

“Coach has a way of bringing people together and bringing out the best in people,” Gillen said. “That’s why it’s so much fun to work for him.”

While the compliments were flowing, there were also a few friendly jabs. Kelci poked fun at her father’s ability to match clothes, while Majerus joked that Karl ruined Andre Miller’s jump shot. Miller played for Majerus at the University of Utah and for Karl in Denver.

“George is a great coach,” said Majerus, one of Karl’s closest friends in coaching. “I’ve used a lot of his stuff, with attribution, when a lot of other (coaches) haven’t. He’s a great tactician, he’s a great father, and he’s a great person.”

Majerus’ words provoked nods throughout the audience. After Karl’s near-40 years as a coach, 30 as a father and six as a cancer survivor, it was impossible to suggest anything to the contrary.