Shumate helped McNeese to hoop highs 

 

When he arrived in Lake Charles, very few noticed Christian Shumate.

In fact, very few noticed the men’s basketball program either.

Shumate had played only eight games the year before at Tulsa, hardly making much of a dent in the program. After averaging just over five minutes in those eight games, the 6-foot-6 teenager went looking for a new place to play.

The Cowboys were going through yet another rebuild, caught in a coaching change that saw Heath Schroyer move from the basketball bench to the athletic director’s chair. 

Dealing with hurricane fatigue and a far-from-appealing history, the McNeese State basketball program was anything but a must-see. Forced back into Burton Coliseum as their new arena was under repairs, the cats at home games usually outnumbered fans.

“Those were some tough times,” Shumate recalled. “We practiced all over the place and didn’t really have a locker room. It didn’t feel like we had a home.”

In the fall of 2021, he never would have imagined he’d be the center of a basketball revival and a fan favorite whose image can be seen on T-shirts in a jam-packed Legacy Center.

He didn’t dream ESPN would make him a national name by showing highlights of his famous ShuSlams. Nor did he expect that his team (which struggled to win games during his first two years) would be one of the top mid-majors in all the land.

“Could never have thought any of this would happen,” said Shumate. “It has been amazing.”

With his career winding down, Shumate will be one of seven seniors honored Monday night when the Cowboys play their last home game of the regular season.

“It is going to be a bittersweet moment,” said Shumate. “It’s crazy how fast it came.”

Of all those honored, Shumate is the only one who can connect McNeese’s past struggles to its current successes. Because of this, Shumate is the most important basketball figure in McNeese’s history since Joe Dumars in the 1980s. He’s a symbol of rebuilding and second chances.

“Shu has done a ton for the program,” said McNeese head coach Will Wade. “He stayed here when we were only selling hope and a dream. He could have left and gone elsewhere, but he didn’t.”

Shumate did enter the transfer portal when Wade took over but elected to stay and became the face of the program for the last two seasons.

“When he decided to come back, what a leap of faith,” said Wade. “It helped kick start what we have done here.”

Since that decision, McNeese has gone 51-10, 34-2 against the Southland, and become a Top-10 Mid Major. The Cowboys have lost just once at home and lead the league in attendance and attention.

“Never dreamed any of this was possible,” said Shumate. “I did see potential; that’s why I came back, but what has happened here is something. 

“So many big moments and things are different; picking just one thing out is hard. Winning, that’s what has made it all worth it.”

Shumate has filled McNeese’s record books, earning SLC Defensive Player of the Year honors last season.

He is the fourth Cowboy in history to score 1,500 points and grab 1,000 rebounds. His 1,608 career points rank him 13th on the all-time list, and his 1,047 rebounds put him third. 

His 38 double-doubles are a school record and third in league history. Shumate has started 82 consecutive games and 102 overall at McNeese. 

And he is far from done. He has one more big goal: to forever leave his mark on the program and university.

That means getting to a second straight NCAA Tournament, something never done before. 

“I feel so much for this community, this university and this program,” said Shumate. “I want to leave it with something special. I have learned more, maybe from the losses than the wins, but it’s all been part of the journey.”

Shumate has come a long way since his senior season at Bloom High School outside of Chicago, where he was known for his rebounding and defense.

Come Monday night, with his parents by his side, Lake Charles will remember and thank him for his role in changing a basketball culture and, more importantly, helping a town devastated by storms to recover. 

“I never would have guessed the path taken,” said Shumate. “I will never forget it.”

One thing’s for certain: people in Lake Charles sure have noticed him now.