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Detroit Pistons: 25 Best Players To Play For The Pistons

By Phil Watson

Oct 8, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; A general view of The Palace of Auburn Hills prior to the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Brooklyn Nets. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 8, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; A general view of The Palace of Auburn Hills prior to the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Brooklyn Nets. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
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(Original Caption) Knicks vs. Pistons. Madison Square Garden. New York, New York: Richie Guerin (9) of the Knicks and Gene Shue (21) of the Pistons fight for the ball. November 10, 1961.
(Original Caption) Knicks vs. Pistons. Madison Square Garden. New York, New York: Richie Guerin (9) of the Knicks and Gene Shue (21) of the Pistons fight for the ball. November 10, 1961. /

. Gene Shue. 12. player. 64. <strong>How acquired:</strong> Trade, New York Knicks, April 30, 1956.. PG-SG

When the Fort Wayne Pistons acquired guard Gene Shue from the New York Knicks in April 1956, no one knew it would be one of the most lopsided trades in franchise history.

Shue had been nothing more than a part-time starter to that point in his career, when he was acquired in exchange for combo guard Ron Sobie.

DET_12_SHUE
DET_12_SHUE /

But with the Pistons, particularly after the franchise moved to Detroit in 1957, Shue’s career blossomed. He was an All-NBA performer in 1959-60 and 1960-61 and five-time All-Star for the Pistons.

Shue was fourth in the NBA in assists in 1960-61, finished second and third respectively in both free-throw shooting and minutes per game in 1959-60 and 1960-61.

In August 1962, Shue was traded back to New York in exchange for Darrall Imhoff and cash.

In six seasons in Fort Wayne and Detroit, he averaged 18.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 39.5 minutes per game, shooting 40.3 percent from the floor and 83 percent at the foul line.

Twice, Shue averaged more than 20 points a game while a collegian at Maryland, and the Philadelphia Warriors selected him third overall in the 1954 NBA Draft.

But strapped for cash–as the club often was in the mid-1950s–Shue’s contract was sold to the Knicks in November 1954.

He was traded to the Baltimore Bullets in October 1963, retiring as a player at the end of the 1963-64 season.

That was just the beginning of Shue’s NBA adventure. He was a head coach in the NBA for parts of 22 seasons with the Bullets (twice, in both Baltimore and Washington), Philadelphia 76ers and the Clippers (twice, in both San Diego and Los Angeles).

Shue was 784-861 in the regular season and 30-48 in the playoffs, taking the Bullets to the NBA Finals in 1971 and Philadelphia there in 1977. He was named NBA Coach of the Year twice with the Bullets, in both 1968-69 and 1981-82.

Shue was also general manager of the 76ers twice, first from September 1973 to August 1974 and again from July 1990 through May 1992.

Now in his 80s, Shue is still a part-time scout for the 76ers and lives in California.

Next: Combo Forward An Early Detroit Star

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