Career
Grgurich served as the Head Coach at his alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh, (Pitt) for 5 seasons in the mid to late 1970"son He also served as the head basketball coach at University of Nevada, Las Vegas for the first seven games of the 1994-1995 season before abruptly resigning. He arrived at University of Nevada, Las Vegas in the mid–1980s and imported the amoeba defense developed when he was a Pitt assistant under Bob Timmons and Charles "Buzz" Ridl to Jerry Tarkanian"s teams.
As a player at Pitt he led the team to two consecutive post season tournaments in 1963 and 1964.
He then served 12 years (1964–1975) as an assistant coach and head of recruiting under Timmons and Ridl. That carried Pitt to the Elite 8 that year, it"s furthest advance in the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament since making the Final Four in 1941.
After Ridl retired several seasons later, Grgurich was named Head Coach at Pitt for the 1975-1976 season and after two rebuilding seasons coached Pitt to 3 consecutive winning seasons in 5 total season as Head Coach at Pitt and a post season bid in 1980. Grgurich finished with close to a.500 record at Pitt at 69 wins and 70 losses as his mostly undermanned teams were noted with playing with high energy and enthusiasm and interesting defensive schemes employed by Grgurich.
He continued those defensive stratagems while the top assistant.coach at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, culminating with winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association championship in 1990 in destroying top ranked Duke and being #1 for all of 1991 and again reaching the Final 4 that year.
He has served as an assistant coach for several National Basketball Association teams including extended stays with the Seattle SuperSonics under fellow Pittsburgher Head Coach George Karl, that reached the National Basketball Association finals in 1996. Seattle"s teams were noted for their defensive prowess which were implemented by Grgurich with Karl"s consent. Grgurich also was an assistant.coach with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets, again under Head Coach George Karl.
Grgurich has been the highest paid assistant in the National Basketball Association for several seasons being sought after for his trusted knowledge of the game and his vast defensive coaching abilities and the enthusiasm he brings to the game.
Considered by many as one of the best National Basketball Association assistant. coaches ever. Foreign the 2010-2011 season he was hired as an assistant coach/consultant by fellow Pittsburgher and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban.