Jim Shaw: The Best Basketball Player You’ve Never Heard Of
Contents
- Jim Shaw: The Best basketball player You’ve never heard Of
- Why Jim Shaw is the best basketball player you’ve never heard of
- How Jim Shaw became the best basketball player you’ve Never Heard of
- Jim Shaw’s basketball career
- Shaw’s impact on the game of basketball
- Shaw’s post-basketball career
- The legacy of Jim Shaw
Jim Shaw was one of the best basketball players you’ve never heard of. He was a 6’8″ small forward who could do it all on the court. He could shoot, he could pass, and he could rebound. He was a star at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and he went on to have a successful professional career in Europe.
But despite all of his accomplishments, Jim Shaw is largely unknown. Why is that? Read on to find out.
Jim Shaw: The Best basketball player You’ve never heard Of
At 6’8″ and 190 pounds, Jim Shaw was not the biggest or strongest player on the court. But what he lacked in size, he made up for in skill and determination. A true marksman, Shaw could shoot from anywhere on the court with deadly accuracy. And he was quick enough to keep up with the fastest players.
In his senior year of High School Shaw led his team to the state championship game. Although they lost, Shaw was named MVP of the tournament.
After high school Shaw attended college on a Basketball Scholarship He quickly became one of the best players in the country. As a junior, he averaged 25 points per game and was named an All-American.
Despite his success on the court, Shaw’s college career came to an abrupt end when he was kicked off the team for failing to meet academic standards. He never got his degree.
Without basketball, Shaw didn’t know what to do with his life. He drifted from job to job, struggling to find meaning in his life. Finally, he realized that he wanted to Coach Basketball – and help others avoid making the same mistakes he had made in his own life.
Why Jim Shaw is the best basketball player you’ve never heard of
Jim Shaw is one of the best basketball players you’ve never heard of. A native of North Carolina Shaw played his college ball at UNC-Asheville, and went on to enjoy a successful professional career in Europe.
Shaw was a 6’8″ forward who could play both inside and out. He was a gifted scorer, rebounder, and passer, with a uncanny ability to make those around him better. In fact, his Asheville teams were some of the best in the country during his tenure there, despite being largely overlooked by the national media.
After finishing his college career, Shaw spent several years playing professionally in Europe. He won multiple championships and was named one of the top 50 players in Europe multiple times.
So why have you never heard of Jim Shaw? Part of it has to do with the fact that he never played in the NBA. But even if he had, it’s unlikely that he would have gotten much attention, as he was never the flashiest player on the court. He was simply a fundamentally sound player who got the job done day in and day out.
In today’s culture of highlight reel dunks and flashy plays, Jim Shaw is the kind of player who gets lost in the shuffle. But make no mistake about it: he was one of the best basketball players you’ve never heard of.
How Jim Shaw became the best basketball player you’ve Never Heard of
Jim Shaw was always a good basketball player He was tall and had a natural talent for the game. But it wasn’t until he transferred to a new school that he truly began to shine.
At his new school, Jim quickly became the star player He led the team to a championship and was named MVP. After that, there was no turning back. Jim developed into one of the best basketball players in the country.
So how did Jim Shaw become the best basketball player you’ve never heard of? It’s simple, really. He just kept getting better and better.
Jim Shaw’s basketball career
Jim Shaw was one of the best Basketball Players you’ve never heard of. He was a 6’5″ shooting guard/small forward who played high school ball in the early 1960s.
Shaw wasn’t the biggest or most athletic player on the court, but he had a lethal outside shot and an uncanny ability to read defenses. He was recruited by several Division I schools, but chose to play for the University of Detroit Mercy because he wanted to stay close to home.
Detroit Mercy was a Cinderella story in the 1968 NCAA tournament making it all the way to the Elite Eight before losing to eventual champion UCLA. Shaw was the leading scorer on that team, averaging 20 points per game
After graduation, Shaw wasn’t drafted by any NBA team He spent a few years playing in Europe before returning to Detroit, where he worked as a truck driver and occasionally played in local pickup games.
In recent years Shaw’s health has begun to decline and he is now confined to a wheelchair. However, his friends and family remember him as one of the best players they’ve ever seen.
Shaw’s impact on the game of basketball
Jim Shaw was one of the best basketball players you’ve never heard of. A 6’3″ guard from Oakland, California, Shaw played collegiately at Santa Clara University from 1976 to 1980. He was an All-American in his senior year, leading the Broncos to the NCAA Division I tournament.
Shaw was not drafted by an NBA team but he did play professionally for several years in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). He was named the CBA’s Most Valuable Player in 1984, after averaging 28.7 points, 8.5 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game for the Maine Lumberjacks.
Shaw’s impact on the game of basketball was not limited to his on-court accomplishments. He was also a groundbreaking coach, becoming one of the first African American head coaches in Division I college basketball when he was hired by Pepperdine University in 1986. He would go on to coach at USC and Oklahoma State before retiring from coaching in 1999.
In retirement, Shaw has remained active in the game of basketball as a broadcaster and analyst. He currently works as a color commentator for FOX Sports West’s telecasts of USC men’s basketball games
Shaw’s post-basketball career
Shaw’s post-basketball career includes being an Assistant Coach at his Alma Mater, George Mason University, as well as serving as a color commentator for George Mason men’s basketball games
The legacy of Jim Shaw
Jim Shaw was one of the best basketball players you’ve never heard of. A 6’8″ small forward from tiny Savannah, Tennessee, Shaw played in the shadow of bigger programs and bigger stars. But he still managed to carve out an impressive college career, becoming one of the top scorers and rebounders in Middle Tennessee State University history.
Shaw’s story is one of hard work and dedication. He was never the biggest or the strongest player on the court, but he made up for it with his tenacity and hustle. He was a tireless worker, always looking to improve his game. And his work paid off – by the time he graduated from MTSU, he was one of the best players in school history.
Sadly, Jim Shaw’s story ended tragically. In 2006, just two years after graduating from college, he was killed in a car accident He was only 24 years old.
Despite playing in the shadow of bigger programs and bigger stars, Jim Shaw left a lasting impact on those who knew him. He was a talented player with a bright future ahead of him. His death was a tragedy not just for his family and friends, but for the Basketball World as well.