March 11, 2008

Joe Dumars, the former McNeese State basketball great and now president for basketball operations of the Detroit Pistons, was on campus Tuesday.

He was in town to be the guest speaker at a seminar for McNeese business majors.

The seminar featured business leaders from the sports industry.

Following his career at McNeese, during which time he became the school's all-time leading scorer, Dumars went on to an all-pro career with the Detroit Pistons, helping that team to NBA titles.

And, since retiring from his playing career, Dumars has been one of the top general managers in the NBA.

In 2006 he was inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame, becoming the first player from McNeese and the Southland Conference to receive such a honor.

Dumars is also a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, the Louisiana basketball coaches Hall of Fame and the McNeese State Hall of Fame.

Joe Dumars with Carl Shetler (left), president of Shetler Lincoln Mercury LTD and Bobby Dower, managing editor of the Lake Charles American Press.