Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Former Men's College Basketball Star Dead At 72 On Monday

Originally posted on The Spun | By Matt Hladik | Last updated Feb 3, 2025 8:33 PM ET

A former Notre Dame star and NBA first-round draft pick passed away on Monday.

John Shumate, who starred for the Fighting Irish from 1971-74, has died at 72. During his career at Notre Dame, Shumate helped the Irish snap UCLA's 88-game win streak and was a two-time captain and All-American. All of this was in spite of missing his sophomore season with blood clots in his leg and a viral heart infection.

When you pay the price and do things the right way and you take care of yourself -- your body, your mind -- and stay true to yourself, good things can happen for you and to you," Shumate said when he was inducted into Notre Dame's Ring of Honor and has his No. 34 jersey retired in 2022. "I appreciate that."

The Phoenix Suns made Shumate the No. 4 overall pick in the 1974 NBA Draft, and while he missed the 1974-75 season with more blood clotting issues, the 6-foot-9 forward made the All-Rookie Team in 1975-76.

BOSTON - 1976: John Shumate #34 of the Buffalo Braves goes up for a shot against Don Nelson #19 of the Boston Celtics during a game played in 1976 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.Dick Raphael/Getty Images

In 318 career NBA games with six different teams, Shumate averaged 12.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. After his playing career ended, the Elizabeth, N.J. native got into coaching.

Shumate was the head coach at Grand Canyon University from 1983-86, going 57-34 with the then-NAIA program. From 1988-95, Shumate went 78-118 as the head coach at SMU, with his best season coming in 1992-93.

That year, the led the Mustangs to a 20-8 record and NCAA Tournament bid. Later on, Shumate became an assistant coach with the NBA's Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns and had a one-year stint as head coach of the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury in 2003.

"John Shumate in 22’ as he went in the Ring of Honor..a true ND man…RIP Shu @NDmbb," former Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey tweeted this afternoon, including a photo of himself with Shumate.

We would like to extend our condolences to Shumate's friends and family.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: