Duane Klueh

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Duane Klueh
Personal information
Born(1926-01-06)January 6, 1926
Bottineau, North Dakota, U.S.
DiedJune 2024(2024-06-00) (aged 98)
Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
High schoolState (Terre Haute, Indiana)
CollegeIndiana State (1946–1949)
NBA draft1949: 8th round, –
Selected by the Boston Celtics
Playing career1949–1951
PositionGuard
Number24, 6
Coaching career1955–1967
Career history
As player:
1949–1950Denver Nuggets
1950–1951Fort Wayne Pistons
As coach:
1955–1967Indiana State
Career highlights and awards
As player:

As coach:

  • 4× ICC Coach of the Year (1959, 1963, 1966, 1967)
  • 2× ICC champion (1965–1966; 1966–1967)
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at NBA.com
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at Basketball-Reference.com

Duane M. Klueh (January 6, 1926 – June 2024) was an American basketball player and coach. Born in Bottineau, North Dakota, he was raised in Terre Haute, Indiana. He was the head men's basketball coach at Indiana State University for 12 seasons (1955–1967). As a Head Coach, he remains the leader in wins. Klueh played professionally in the NBA from 1949 to 1951.

Basketball career[edit]

Klueh had a spectacular collegiate career; as a junior (1947–48) he was #2 in the nation in points scored (597), while ranking #10 in point-per-game (17.6).[1] After leading the Sycamores to the NAIA Finals, he was selected 'All-American' by the Helms Foundation as well as winning the Chuck Taylor Most Valuable Player Award in the 1948 NAIA tournament.

Klueh was taken in the eighth round of the 1949 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. He never played for the Celtics, but was a member of the Denver Nuggets and Fort Wayne Pistons; averaging over 8 pts during his (2-yr) career.

After his NBA career ended, he returned to Indiana and accepted his first coaching position at Fowler High School in Benton County, Indiana. He was named the Indiana State Head Coach after the 1954–55 season at age 28. He resigned at age 40 (1966–67) citing the rigors and pressures of recruiting.

During his twelve-year tenure, he led the Sycamores to a cumulative record of 182–122, 71–60 in conference play. He won three conference titles and had five post-season berths; his post-season record was 3–6. He also led the Sycamores through their transition from the NAIA to the NCAA.

Klueh is a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame,[2] (1988), the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame[3] (2006), the NAIA Hall of Fame and was a charter inductee to the Indiana State University Hall of Fame in 1982. He will be inducted into the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.[4]

His jersey #54 is only one of five numbers retired by Indiana State University.[5]

Klueh held the career scoring record when he graduated in 1948 and is still in the Top Ten in total points (#9; 1,432 points) and scoring average (#10; 15.7 ppg).

Tennis career[edit]

In addition to his success on the collegiate hardwood, Klueh also enjoyed a standout career in tennis; winning the 1948 Little States (Collegiate) Singles Championship in Indiana.

Klueh returned to ISU following his professional basketball career and assumed the role of head tennis coach, leading the Sycamores to a school-record 278 wins during two coaching tenures totaling over 26 seasons. ISU's on-campus tennis complex, constructed in 1996, bears his name.[6]

Death[edit]

On June 3, 2024, Indiana State University announced that Klueh had died in Terre Haute at the age of 98.[7][8]

Career statistics[edit]

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

Playing[edit]

NBA[edit]

Source[9]

Regular season[edit]
Year Team GP FG% FT% RPG APG PPG
1949–50 Denver 33 .364 .725 – 1.9 10.0
1949–50 Fort Wayne 19 .438 .667 – 1.5 7.6
1950–51 Fort Wayne 61 .343 .734 3.0 1.3 7.4
Career 113 .362 .719 3.0 1.5 8.2
Playoffs[edit]
Year Team GP FG% FT% RPG APG PPG
1950 Fort Wayne 2 .200 1.000 1.5 4.5
1951 Fort Wayne 2 .167 – 1.5 1.5 1.0
Career 4 .188 1.000 1.5 1.5 2.8

Head coaching record[edit]

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Indiana State Sycamores (Indiana Collegiate Conference) (1955–1967)
1955–56 Indiana State 8–16 2–10 6th
1956–57 Indiana State 12–13 2–10 6th
1957–58 Indiana State 11–14 2–10 7th
1958–59 Indiana State 17–10 9–3 2nd NAIA Second Round
1959–60 Indiana State 7–13 4–8 4th
1960–61 Indiana State 17–9 9–3 2nd
1961–62 Indiana State 19–11 7–5 3rd NAIA First Round
1962–63 Indiana State 18–7 8–4 3rd NAIA Second Round
1963–64 Indiana State 17–8 6–6 4th
1964–65 Indiana State 13–10 7–5 2nd
1965–66 Indiana State 22–6 9–3 1st-T NCAA College Division First Round
1966–67 Indiana State 21–5 11–1 1st NCAA College Division Second Round
Indiana State: 182–122 (.599) 76–60 (.559)
Total: 182–122 (.599)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References[edit]

  1. ^ "2015–16 NCAA Men's Basketball Records".
  2. ^ "Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame » Duane Klueh". Archived from the original on 2010-11-26. Retrieved 2010-01-11.
  3. ^ http://www.mvc-sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7600&KEY=&ATCLID=272670[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ https://www.smallcollegebasketball.com/hall-of-fame
  5. ^ "Duane Klueh Jersey".
  6. ^ "Duane Klueh Jersey".
  7. ^ Beloved ISU Legend Duane Klueh Passes Away at 98
  8. ^ Terre Haute and ISU legend Duane Klueh dead at 98
  9. ^ "Duane Klueh NBA playing stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 3 May 2023.

External links[edit]

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