Christian Shumate was signed to play this summer for the New Orleans Pelicans. (McNeese Athletics Photo}

For the second straight summer, a McNeese State player will take his shot at the NBA.

Former Cowboy forward Christian Shumate, a fan favorite for the past four seasons in the Legacy Center, has signed to play for the New Orleans Pelicans in summer league action.

Shumate follows in the sneakers of guard Shahada Wells, who played for the Houston Rockets last summer before heading to Europe in the fall to play professionally.

The Pelicans named Shumate to their summer roster officially on Sunday. He will play for Cowboy legend Joe Dumars, who took over as the team’s President of Basketball Operations at the end of last season. 

It is an ironic twist as Shumate became a star on the very court named after Dumars, who is considered by most to be the greatest McNeese player of all time.

During his four record-setting seasons at McNeese, Shumate helped the Cowboys to two straight Southland Conference titles, both during the regular season and in the postseason tournament. 

He also helped McNeese to two straight NCAA tournaments, the first time that has happened in program history. The Cowboys also won their first tourney game when they beat Clemson, a fifth seed, 69-67. 

Shumate finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds against the Tigers, who entered the game ranked 12th in the country. It was the 40th and final double-double of his career, most in McNeese history and third-most ever in the SLC.

Shumate was a four-time all-SLC selection and two-time Defensive Player of the Year. He is the McNeese record holder for career games played at 134, starting 108 of those.

Former Cowboy head coach Will Wade, who Shumate played under in his last two seasons, said he was “excited” to watch the forward play. Wade said he expected to go watch Shumate and the Pelicans in Las Vegas. 

Pelicans Assistant Coach Corey Brewer will serve as the team’s summer league head coach. The roster features Pelicans’ 2025 NBA Draft selections Jeremiah Fears (7th overall pick), Derik Queen (13th overall pick), and Micah Peavy (40th overall pick); two-way players Trey Alexander and Hunter Dickinson; as well as Keion Brooks Jr., Yves Missi, Lester Quiñones, and Antonio Reeves, who each played for New Orleans during the 2024-25 season.

 The Pelicans will conduct summer league training camp practices from July 6-8 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center. New Orleans will open summer action Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Wade said he expects Brandon Murray, who played with Shumate at McNeese last season, to play professionally in Europe this fall. Murray finished with 21 against Clemson.