Forward Gabe McGlothan’s first three seasons at Grand Canyon featured one Western Athletic Conference regular-season championship, two WAC Tournament titles and two NCAA Tournament appearances. The Southeast Missouri State transfer is in position to add more hardware to his collection this season with the 24-4 Antelopes leading their conference by half a game.
McGlothan is the team’s leading rebounder for the second season in a row (7.7 per game) and its second-leading scorer at 14.7 points per game, while shooting 51.8% from the field. Grand Canyon won 24 of its first 26 games before losing two straight road games.
>> Subscribe to Sports Spectrum Magazine for more stories where sports and faith connect <<
Central to McGlothan’s journey is his faith in God, and he is grateful the Lord led him to Grand Canyon.
“My plan was, you know, to play D-I basketball, but I never thought it’d be this big of a blessing, and God poured into that,” he said on the Sports Spectrum Podcast in January. “So, it’s a beautiful thing.”
As part of his pregame routine, McGlothan — who is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity degree — brings his Bible on the bench and reads a verse. He will typically share the verse with a teammate sitting next to him as a way to encourage them.
Playing at a Christian university for a strong believer in head coach Bryce Drew has provided McGlothan the opportunity to share his faith in unique ways, such as praying over the team’s flight to last season’s NCAA Tournament game. He takes the court with a much bigger goal than getting a win.
View this post on Instagram
“Who are you, you know?” he said on the podcast. “What’s your purpose? Is it to win a basketball game? Yes, that’s important to me, but the more important thing is giving God the glory and shining His light.”
In 2020, McGlothan got baptized and in an Instagram post celebrating the occasion, he called it the “best accomplishment” he will ever have.
View this post on Instagram
“You’re talking about eternity here and giving up control of your own life,” he said while discussing his baptism on the podcast. “You think you have everything figured out, but in reality, God has the best plan for you. And you just walk in it in blind faith. Give Him control.”
Grand Canyon hosts the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in its next game at 9 p.m. ET Thursday. A win would give GCU its second 25-win season at the Division I level.
McGlothan will be out of eligibility at the end of the season and has considered possibly going into ministry at some point in the future. He would like to keep playing basketball if an opportunity presents itself, but whether it does or not, McGlothan has total confidence in whatever God has planned for him.
“I’m so trusting of what God’s done with my story already,” he said on the podcast. “Even if it goes good, if it goes bad, I’ll rock with my man Jesus Christ until the end of time. And so, wherever He places my feet, I’ll follow it.”
>> Do you know Christ personally? Learn how you can commit your life to Him. <<
RELATED STORIES:
– SS PODCAST: Grand Canyon’s Gabe McGlothan on basketball, baptism, the Big Dance
– Gabe McGlothan prays over team prior to Grand Canyon’s flight to NCAA Tournament
– Grand Canyon’s Oscar Frayer rededicated his life to Christ days before tragic death
– Bryce Drew walking by faith in leading Grand Canyon to 1st NCAA Tourney appearance
– NEW PODCAST: Bryce Drew – Grand Canyon University Men’s Basketball Coach
