(Notre Dame Athletics)
Brokaw, Clay, Dantley, Novak and “the Big Shu”, John Shumate. The names of the Notre Dame starting five still roll of my tongue 51 years after they became the talk of the college basketball world after ending UCLA’s 88 game win streak.
Most prominent in my mind from that group is the guy who pulled down the decisive rebound on January 19, 1974 to clinch the 71-70 victory. After securing the ball after a last second Bill Walton jump shot and tip back miss, the horn sounded and John Shumate hurled the ball underhand into the rafters of the Athletic and Convocation Center (now known as Purcell Pavilion). Bedlam broke out. Shumate had matched Walton in scoring that day with 24 points, and led all rebounders with 11. He had come up big down the stretch as ND erased an 11 point deficit in the last four minutes of the game.
I remember it like yesterday.
That big win came just 19 days after a Tommy Clements to Robin Weber 35 yard pass completion had clinched a Sugar Bowl win over Alabama and the football National Championship. With the stunning victory over UCLA, who had not lost a game in three years, Notre Dame football and basketball were simultaneously the toast of the college sports world.
What a time to be 12 years old living in the shadow of the Golden Dome, and John Shumate was as big a hero as anyone to me.
Shumate passed away on February 3 at the age of 72. He leaves a legacy of a great career on the floor and as a Notre Dame man. The 6-9 center, was known for his high energy, intense play and consistency. A two time All-American he overcame serious health issues his sophomore year to put together a two year run on the ND hardcourt where he averaged 22.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. An impressive double double, for his Notre Dame career. A career that almost didn’t happen at all.
After a promising freshman “season” in the days before freshman were eligible for varsity play, Shumate simultaneously had to battle a blood clot in his leg and a viral infection around his heart, and missed his sophomore year. Serious stuff to say the least. He spent 9 days in intensive care, and lost 45 pounds.
A minister’s son from New Jersey, he fought his way back to health to star for the Irish. the 1972-73 team went 18-12 and were NIT finalists after having been 6-20 the year before in Digger Phelps first season at the helm. The 1973-74 team finished 26-4 and won two games in the NCAA tournament.
Shumate was a two time Captain and still holds the all-time ND record for career shooting percentage at 61.0. In 1974 he went to the Phoenix Suns as the 4th overall pick in the NBA draft. Health issues limited him to just seven years in the league but he was an All-Rookie team selection and averaged 12.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, in his pro career.
After retirement Shumate went into coaching and served as an assistant under Phelps for five seasons and spent 11 seasons as a head coach. He led programs at, Grand Canyon (1983-86), SMU (1988-95) and the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury (2003).
On December 11, 2022, his No. 34 jersey was raised to the rafters of Purcell Pavilion, making him the 10th honoree in Notre Dame’s prestigious Ring of Honor. That day, then-Irish head coach Mike Brey summed up Shumate’s legacy perfectly:
“A true Notre Dame man, no one has been a better representative of our University and Notre Dame basketball.”
John Shumate’s journey—from battling life-threatening illness to leading the Irish on the court, from the NBA to the coaching ranks—embodied the Fighting Irish spirit. He was more than a great player; he was a leader, a mentor, and a symbol of perseverance.
John Shumate, Notre Dame 1970-1974, another Fighting Irish Preview, ALL-TIME IRISH HERO.