Pat Garrity
Pat Garrity transformed from a deadeye NBA three-point specialist into a respected architect of college basketball programs.
Born 1976 (age 50)·American basketball player·Birthday: August 23·Generation X
Biography
Pat Garrity's professional basketball story is one of sharp-shooting precision and a seamless transition to the front office. Drafted in the first round in 1998, the 6'9" forward from Notre Dame made his name not with power inside but with a feathery touch from beyond the arc. He found his longest home with the Orlando Magic, where for seven seasons he was a reliable floor-spacing weapon, often leading the team in three-point percentage. His career was defined by consistency and basketball IQ rather than flashy athleticism. After retiring in 2008, Garrity didn't stray far from the game. He climbed the executive ladder with the Detroit Pistons before returning to his alma mater in a landmark role. At Notre Dame, he now oversees both the men's and women's basketball programs as general manager, applying his analytical mind and player development experience to build competitive teams from the ground up.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Pat was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Pat Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Pat's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played ten seasons in the NBA as a specialist three-point shooter for the Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic.
- Served as the assistant general manager for the Detroit Pistons from 2016 to 2020.
- Appointed as the general manager for both the Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's and women's basketball teams, a unique dual role.
- Led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage during the 2000-2001 season while with the Orlando Magic.
Did You Know?
He was the 1997 Big East Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year while at Notre Dame.
He won the NBA Three-Point Contest during the 2001 All-Star Weekend Rookie Challenge.
He earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame.
“My role was to stretch the floor and create space with my shot.”
