NBA at 75: Gene Shue was an early Pistons legend

Gene Shue was one of the top players for the Detroit Pistons during the franchise’s first years in the Motor City. He went on to become one of the most successful coaches in NBA history, as well as one of the most colorful.

His thick black hair and and eye-catching suits were a regular sight on the sidelines of the NBA from 1966 to 1989.  Shue was twice named NBA Coach of the Year and and got two teams to the NBA finals.

When Gene Shue passed away at the age of 90 on April 3, he was hailed for his long coaching career – deservedly so. He was known as someone who could turn a losing team’s fortunes around, which is why his career record of 784-861 is below .500, as he usually started out with little talent.

Shue had two stints with the Bullets (now Wizards) and the Clippers. But his most well-known coaching job was probably with the 76ers in the mid-70s. He took a team that went 9-73 the year before he arrived and, in four years, had them in the NBA finals. Shue was then let go six games into the next season in one of the most surprising firings in NBA history.

However, before being the coach with the loud suits, Shue was a standout player, a five time NBA All-Star and two time All-NBA while playing for the Pistons.

Shue was the third overall pick in the 1954 NBA draft by the then-Philadelphia Warriors. The Pistons were fourth and took Dick Rosenthal of Notre Dame, who played just two seasons.

After two non-descript seasons with the Warriors and Knicks, Shue ended up with the Pistons, who were in their final year in Fort Wayne, where he blossomed.

Only 6-foot-2, Shue was a slick ball-handling point guard who could score, much rarer back in those days. In six seasons with the Pistons, Shue averaged 18.3 points, including a 22.8 points average in 1959-60.

Here are some highlights of Shue as a player and coach:

The Pistons made the playoffs in all five of Shue’s seasons in Detroit. As the Pistons were trying to establish themselves in the Motor City, Shue helped give fans a reason to attend games.

In Shue’s final season in Detroit, 1961-62, he combined with forward Bailey Howell for a solid one-two punch on offense, as each averaged over 19 points a game. The Pistons reached the Western Conference finals, where they pushed the Jerry West-Elgin Baylor-led Los Angeles Lakers to six games.

It would be 25 years before Detroit would reach a conference final again.

They then got rid of Shue in the normal Pistons way, getting fleeced in a trade. Shue was shipped to the Knicks for center Darrall Imhoff, who averaged 2.7 points for Detroit the following year.

Shue retired two years later, playing his final season for his native Baltimore Bullets, who soon made him their coach, launching his new career. It is a bit ironic that in his long coaching career, Shue never coached in the city he had the most success in as a player.

Shue is one of the reasons the Pistons were able to grow roots and become part of the Detroit sports scene.

Shue was a member of the Pistons’ 50th anniversary team. His legacy of scoring, and getting the Pistons into the playoffs, came at a crucial time in the franchise’s history.