Clippers Find an Old Shue That Fits a New Situation

The Clippers signed Gene Shue to a three-year contract as head coach Thursday. Shue previously coached the Clippers from 1978-80 in San Diego.

However, Shue may have gotten the job by default after Hubie Brown, Dick Motta, and John MacLeod withdrew as candidates.

The Clippers maintain that Shue was their first choice.

“He was the guy we wanted,” said Alan Rothenberg, Clipper president. “We’re not expecting miracles, we’re expecting substantial progress, which I’m sure will come.

“We have to (rebuild) a step at a time. The first goal is the playoffs, which the Clippers have never been in since they’ve been on the West Coast. We’d love to be in it the first year, but realistically, it’ll probably be the second year.”

Shue, the 11th coach the Clippers have had, replaces Don Chaney, who was fired last month after the team finished with the worst record in the National Basketball Assn. (12-70).

“I’m really delighted,” Shue said. “This is a very challenging job. I definitely see this as the same kind of job I had when I took over the Philadelphia 76ers.

“My goal right away is to try to put the best team on the floor that we possibly can. Right now, I’m just analyzing the team. I think that I’ll have a better idea of which way we’re going after the draft.”

Shue took over as coach of the 76ers in 1973, the season after the 76ers posted the worst record in NBA history (9-73). He was coach when they reached NBA finals in 1976-77, losing to the Portland Trail Blazers. He was 78-86 in his two seasons with the Clippers.

Shue, 55, has a 757-768 record in 20 seasons with Baltimore, Philadelphia, San Diego and Washington. He has been named NBA Coach of the Year twice.

He spent this season as a TV announcer for the Philadelphia 76ers after he was fired by Washington late in the 1985-86 season.

“I love coaching,” Shue said. “I also enjoy the broadcast business, but coaching is in my blood. I like being around the players.”

Shue said that he will retain Don Casey as an assistant coach and that he hopes to hire Washington assistant coach Fred Carter.

The Clippers have scheduled a press conference at 11 a.m. on Tuesday to introduce Shue to the media.

Elgin Baylor, Clipper general manager, said in a prepared statement: “We’re very excited about having Gene Shue as our head coach. With his experience and ability we are confident he can turn this team around. He has proven his ability to have an immediate impact with each team he has coached.”

Shue played for 10 seasons in the NBA with Philadelphia, Ft. Wayne, Detroit and Baltimore. He was an All-American at Maryland and was the first player picked in the 1954 college draft.