Dan Dickau has Gonzaga basketball jersey retired into rafters

SPOKANE, Wash. - Former Gonzaga and NBA point guard Dan Dickau became the fifth player in Zags' history Thursday to see his basketball jersey retired into the rafters at McCarthey Athletic Center.

Dickau, the school’s first Associated Press All-American first-teamer who had one of the best two-year careers (2000-02) in school history, joined, joining Frank Burgess, John Stockton, Adam Morrison and Kelly Olynyk in being honored.

“A long time coming,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said at midcourt during the pre-game ceremony. “And so well-deserved.”

Out of Prairie High School, Dickau played his first two seasons at the University of Washington before transferring to the Spokane university in 1999.

He led the program to a school-record 29 victories and a No. 6 national ranking in 2001-02 by averaging 21.0 points and 4.7 assists in being named the West Coast Conference player of the year.

Few noted that the guard out of Brush Prairie, Washington was the "bridge" between the Zags being considered a one-hit wonder (1999) to their extended stay on the national stage.

In his five-minute speech, Dickau, 44, said he came to Gonzaga after two seasons with the Huskies "searching for confidence" - and found it under Few’s tutelage.

"I found a home," he told the crowd.

As far as this day arriving, Dickau - who had his wife, Heather, and their seven children standing courtside - said it didn’t really hit him until Stockton, his idol, called him at 4 p.m. to congratulate him on his honor.

Dickau spent six seasons in the NBA.