Education
Shue attended Towson Catholic High School and the University of Maryland, where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity.
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Gene Shue
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During his playing days he was a 6"2" (188 m) 170 lb (77 kg) guard. After graduation, he was drafted 3rd overall in the 1954 National Basketball Association Draft by the Philadelphia Warriors. After just six games with the Philadelphia Warriors Shue was sold to the New York Knicks.
After the 1955-1956 season Shue was traded to the Fort Wayne Pistons for Ron Sobie.
In 1956-1957 he played his first season (third season in the league) for the Fort Wayne Pistons. The franchise moved to Detroit the following season, and Shue blossomed.
Shue was one of the top guards of the early days of the National Basketball Association. He is credited with inventing the "Spin Move," a 360-degree turn while changing hands. Shue was an National Basketball Association All-Star five consecutive times (1958-1962).
In 1959-1960 he recorded 22.8 pts/game (6th most in the National Basketball Association) (1712 pts) and 5.5 rebounds/game, leading the National Basketball Association in minutes (3338) and finishing second in free throw % (872) while earning All-National Basketball Association First Team honors.
The following year he may have had his most complete year ever, averaging 4.3 rebounds/game, 6.8 assists/game (4th in the National Basketball Association) (530 assists also 4th) and 22.6 points/game (10th most in the National Basketball Association) (1765 pts). He also marked his highest field goal% (421) and was named to the All-National Basketball Association Second Team. The 1961-1962 season was his last one as star player.
He averaged 19.0 pts/game and 5.8 assists/game (5th in the National Basketball Association) (465 assists also 5th).
In 1963 Shue was traded along with Paul Hogue to the Baltimore Bullets for Bill McGill. Shue then served 23 years as a head coach in the league.
As the Baltimore Bullets coach he guided them to the National Basketball Association Finals in 1971 but got swept by the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar/Oscar Robertson-led Milwaukee Buckinghamshire. He guided the Philadelphia 76ers, which had the worst record in National Basketball Association history in 1973, to the 1977 National Basketball Association Finals, but eventually lost to the Bill Walton-led Portland Trail Blazers.
Shue finished his coaching career with a regular season record of 784-861 while going 30-47 in the playoffs.
His 784 wins are the 16th most in National Basketball Association history and his 861 losses are the sixth most in National Basketball Association history. Gene Shue was twice named National Basketball Association Coach of the Year. Shue, who now lives in Marina del Rey, California, currently is a scout for the 76ers.
Membership
During his ten year playing career in the National Basketball Association, he was also a member of the New York Knicks, Fort Wayne/Detroit Pistons, and the Baltimore Bullets.
