NBA Hall of Famer and former McNeese Basketball sensation Joe Dumars will be in Lake Charles tomorrow for a special event.

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Dumars will make his return to Lake Charles this Thursday, January 5 when the Cowboys host Northwestern State for "Joe Dumars Day" at the Legacy Center. Prior to tip-off of the men's Southland Conference game, a special ceremony will take place to officially unveil the naming of Joe Dumars Court.

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McNeese Director of Athletics Heath Schroyer had this to say in a press release:

I can't put into words how excited I am to officially name the Legacy Center's court, Joe Dumars Court. Joe and I have developed a great relationship over the last few years and it's truly an honor to be able to do this not only for Joe, but for our fans, community and University. Joe is by far the most accomplished basketball player to ever come out of McNeese. However, Joe is more than just an athlete. He's a leader, a pioneer, and has accomplished so much in his professional and personal life. A class act in every way!

Dumars played for the Cowboys from 1982-85 and was named the 1985 Southland Conference Player of the Year. He's one of just three players in the 60-year history of the league to be named first team All-SLC all four seasons.

Joe Dumars released a statement about this special event:

It's such an honor to come back to Lake Charles for this ceremony, McNeese has always been a special place for me. I'm looking forward to the unveiling at the Legacy Center.

TOMORROW'S GAME PROMOTIONS:
• Thursday's game sponsor will be Lake Charles Toyota.
• The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a one-of-a-kind Joe Dumars No. 4 jersey t-shirt.
• Beginning this Thursday when McNeese hosts Northwestern State in a double-header basketball game, fans will be treated to a new tradition called "Thirsty Thursdays" where adults 21 and over will be able to purchase $1 draft beers at the specially designated Beer Garden.
• The Beer Garden will be located on the fourth level, or Citgo Plaza, inside the Legacy Center. Beer sales will end with 10 minutes to play in the second half of the men's game.

McNeese State University
McNeese State University
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JOE DUMARS ACCOLADES:

  • NBA  2x NBA Champion
  • 6x NBA All-Star
  • 3x All-NBA
  • 5x NBA All-Defensive Team
  • 1985-86 1at Team NBA All-Rookie
  • 1985 NBA 1st Round Pick
  • 1989 NBA Finals MVP
  • 1994 World Championship Gold Medalist
  • 1994 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award
  • 1996 NBA Sportsmanship Award
  • 2003 NBA Executive of the Year
  • 2006 Naismith Hall of Fame Inductee
  • No. 4 Retired by Detroit Pistons

McNeese: 

  • 1982 SLC Freshman of the Year
  • 1985 Sporting News All-American
  • 1985 SLC Player of the Year
  • 1985 Louisiana Player of the Year 4x
  • 1st Team All-SLC
  • No. 4 Retired by McNeese Cowboys
  • 1990 LABC Hall of Fame Inductee
  • 1994 McNeese Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
  • 2003 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
  • 2009 SLC Hall of Honor Inductee

The Natchitoches native led the league in scoring in 1984 and 1985 while his 2,607 career points scored continues to top the McNeese record book and ranks second all-time in the Southland, all before the three-point line was established. He was drafted in the first round of the 1985 NBA Draft as the 18th overall pick by the Detroit Pistons where he played his entire career from 1985-99. He won two NBA Championships as a player in 1989 and 1990, and was voted the 1989 Finals MVP, averaging 27.3 points per game as the Pistons swept the Los Angeles Lakers in four games. During his professional playing career, Dumars was selected to the All-Star team six times and the All-Defensive first team four times. He totalled 16,401 points, 4,612 assists, grabbed 2,203 rebounds and recorded 902 steals in his 14 years.

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He was the first recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award (196) which has been named the Joe Dumars Award. He also played for the US national team at the 1994 FIBA World Championships, helping the team to a gold medal. As an executive, Dumars became the Pistons' President of Basketball Operations prior to the start of the 2000-01 season and was voted the league's Executive of the Year for the 2002-03 season, leading up to a team he built that won the 2004 NBA championship. In 2019, he was named special advisor to the general manager of the Sacramento Kings, and in 2020, was named interim executive vice president of basketball operations then chief strategy officer. On May 2, 2022, Dumars was named the Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations of the NBA.

McNeese State University
McNeese State University
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Dumars is a member of the Naismith Hall of Fame (2006 induction), McNeese Sports Hall of Fame (1994), Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame (1990), Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (2003), and the Southland Conference Hall of Honor (2009). His number 4 jersey has been retired by both McNeese and the Detroit Pistons.

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