| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1941-06-21)June 21, 1941 (age 84) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1960–1963 | Philadelphia Textile |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1963–1967 | Philadelphia Textile (assistant) |
| 1967–2022 | Philadelphia Textile/Philadelphia/Jefferson |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 1,144–450 (.718) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| NCAA College Division II tournament (1970) 5×CACC tournament (2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2018) CACC regular season (2007) 6×CACC South Division regular season (2008–2010, 2012, 2014, 2017) | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2011 (profile) | |
| College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2023 | |
Herb Magee (born June 21, 1941),[1] commonly referred to as theShot Doctor, is an American former men's collegebasketball coach, who coached for 54 seasons atNCAA Division IIThomas Jefferson University. The school was established in its current form when Philadelphia University, Magee's alma mater, merged with the original Thomas Jefferson University in 2017. The former Philadelphia University was known as Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science and athletically branded as "Philadelphia Shoptile" when Magee first became head coach in 1967, becoming Philadelphia University in 1999. He has spent 54 years as head coach, and 62 years as either a player or coach at the school as of 2021. In 2015, he achieved his 1,000th win as a head coach, becoming one of only four college coaches to achieve that milestone. On August 12, 2011, Magee was inducted into theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.[2]
Magee, anIrish American, played his high school basketball at Philadelphia's famed West Catholic High, where his teammates included former Philadelphia 76ers head coachJim Lynam and former St. Joseph's coachJim Boyle.[3]
As a five-foot-ten inch, 150-pound player for the Philadelphia Rams, Magee scored 2,235 points (before the introduction of the 3-point shot), leading his team to 75 victories.[4] Magee was a two-time All-American and drafted by theBoston Celtics (the 62nd pick of the 1963 NBA draft).[5] However, he broke his fingers before training camp, and opted instead to return to his alma mater as an assistant coach under Buckey Harris.[6] When Harris retired in 1967, Magee became head coach at the age of 25.[7] He has spent his entire adult life at theEast Falls school as either a player, assistant coach, or head coach.
Magee has earned many awards during his coaching career. The Kodak District Coach of the Year in 1993, Magee was also tabbed New York Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year that season and again in 1994. In addition, he has been honored as regional Coach of the Year four times, national Coach of the Year twice, and Co-Coach of the Year in theMideast Collegiate Conference twice. He was also inducted into thePennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1979. He led the Rams to the College Division National Championship in 1970.[8]
Coach Magee was inducted into thePhiladelphia Sports Hall of Fame (2008), Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame (1979), Philadelphia University and West Catholic High School Halls of Fame, and honored by numerous organizations throughout his career.[9] He coached the Olympic Festive team along with John Calipari and was co-coach of the Year in the Mideast Collegiate Conference (twice). The NABC honored him with the Guardian of the Game Award. Coach Magee was awarded the honorary degree Doctor of Humane Letters by President Stephen Spinelli Jr. at Philadelphia University's 125th Commencement on May 17, 2009, in recognition of his accomplishments and years of dedication and service.[10] Known as "shot Doctor" because of his ability to teach basketball shot-making through unforgettable clinics held thousands of times during his career. In one such clinic, he parked his car, entered onto the court and without any warmup, hit 25 in a row from the top of the key.
Magee received a Bachelor of Science in marketing from Philadelphia University in 1963[11] and a Master's in Education fromSt. Joseph's University in 1969.[12]
On September 7, 2021, Magee announced that he would retire following the 2021–22 season.[13]
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Textile Rams()(1967–1984) | |||||||||
| 1967–68 | Philadelphia Textile | 21–6 | NCAA College Division first round | ||||||
| 1968–69 | Philadelphia Textile | 20–5 | NCAA College Division first round | ||||||
| 1969–70 | Philadelphia Textile | 29–2 | NCAA College Division champions | ||||||
| 1970–71 | Philadelphia Textile | 22–6 | NCAA College Division Regional Final | ||||||
| 1971–72 | Philadelphia Textile | 22–7 | NCAA College Division Regional Third Place | ||||||
| 1972–73 | Philadelphia Textile | 25–4 | NCAA College Division Regional Fourth Place | ||||||
| 1973–74 | Philadelphia Textile | 10–14 | |||||||
| 1974–75 | Philadelphia Textile | 21–6 | NCAA Division II Regional Third Place | ||||||
| 1975–76 | Philadelphia Textile | 25–3 | NCAA Division II Regional Final | ||||||
| 1976–77 | Philadelphia Textile | 22–6 | NCAA Division II Regional Fourth Place | ||||||
| 1977–78 | Philadelphia Textile | 18–10 | NCAA Division II Regional Final | ||||||
| 1978–79 | Philadelphia Textile | 20–8 | NCAA Division II Regional Fourth Place | ||||||
| 1979–80 | Philadelphia Textile | 13–13 | |||||||
| 1980–81 | Philadelphia Textile | 15–12 | |||||||
| 1981–82 | Philadelphia Textile | 13–14 | |||||||
| 1982–83 | Philadelphia Textile | 23–7 | NCAA Division II Regional Final | ||||||
| 1983–84 | Philadelphia Textile | 21–8 | |||||||
| Philadelphia Textile Rams(Mideast Collegiate Conference)(1984–1991) | |||||||||
| 1984–85 | Philadelphia Textile | 24–7 | NCAA Division II Regional Final | ||||||
| 1985–86 | Philadelphia Textile | 16–14 | |||||||
| 1986–87 | Philadelphia Textile | 16–14 | |||||||
| 1987–88 | Philadelphia Textile | 20–10 | |||||||
| 1988–89 | Philadelphia Textile | 24–7 | NCAA Division II Regional Fourth Place | ||||||
| 1989–90 | Philadelphia Textile | 22–8 | |||||||
| 1990–91 | Philadelphia Textile | 24–8 | NCAA Division II Quarterfinal | ||||||
| Philadelphia Textile / Philadelphia Rams(New York Collegiate Athletic Conference)(1991–2005) | |||||||||
| 1991–92 | Philadelphia Textile | 28–4 | NCAA Division II Regional Final | ||||||
| 1992–93 | Philadelphia Textile | 30–2 | NCAA Division II Quarterfinal | ||||||
| 1993–94 | Philadelphia Textile | 29–2 | NCAA Division II Regional Final | ||||||
| 1994–95 | Philadelphia Textile | 26–5 | NCAA Division II Regional Final | ||||||
| 1995–96 | Philadelphia Textile | 19–9 | |||||||
| 1996–97 | Philadelphia Textile | 13–14 | |||||||
| 1997–98 | Philadelphia Textile | 18–10 | |||||||
| 1998–99 | Philadelphia | 21–6 | |||||||
| 1999–00 | Philadelphia | 17–10 | |||||||
| 2000–01 | Philadelphia | 24–7 | NCAA Division II Regional semifinal | ||||||
| 2001–02 | Philadelphia | 19–9 | |||||||
| 2002–03 | Philadelphia | 16–12 | |||||||
| 2003–04 | Philadelphia | 26–8 | NCAA Division II Regional Quarterfinal | ||||||
| 2004–05 | Philadelphia | 21–9 | |||||||
| Philadelphia/Jefferson Rams(Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference)(2005–2022) | |||||||||
| 2005–06 | Philadelphia | 20–11 | 15–7 | 2nd | |||||
| 2006–07 | Philadelphia | 20–10 | 14–6 | T–1st | NCAA Division II Regional Quarterfinal | ||||
| 2007–08 | Philadelphia | 22–12 | 16–0 | 1st(South) | NCAA Division II Regional Quarterfinal | ||||
| 2008–09 | Philadelphia | 25–6 | 14–2 | 1st(South) | NCAA Division II first round | ||||
| 2009–10 | Philadelphia | 27–8 | 16–1 | 1st(South) | NCAA Division II Regional Final | ||||
| 2010–11 | Philadelphia | 15–12 | 10–7 | 2nd(South) | |||||
| 2011–12 | Philadelphia | 19–10 | 13–4 | T–1st(South) | NCAA Division II first round | ||||
| 2012–13 | Philadelphia | 19–10 | 12–5 | 2nd(South) | |||||
| 2013–14 | Philadelphia | 25–7 | 16–3 | 1st(South) | NCAA Division II first round | ||||
| 2014–15 | Philadelphia | 24–8 | 15–4 | T–2nd(South) | NCAA Division II first round | ||||
| 2015–16 | Philadelphia | 23–9 | 14–5 | 2nd(South) | NCAA Division II first round | ||||
| 2016–17 | Philadelphia | 21–9 | 16–3 | 1st(South) | |||||
| 2017–18 | Jefferson | 21–14 | 13–6 | 2nd(South) | NCAA Division II first round | ||||
| 2018–19 | Jefferson | 22–8 | 16–3 | 1st(South) | |||||
| 2019–20 | Jefferson | 27–4 | 18–1 | 1st(South) | |||||
| 2020–21 | Jefferson | 0–0 | 0–0 | Jefferson did not play in 2020–21 due toCOVID-19 concerns. | |||||
| 2021–22 | Jefferson | 21–6 | 16–2 | 1st(South) | |||||
| Philadelphia Textile / Philadelphia / Jefferson: | 1,144–450 | ||||||||
| Total: | 1,144–450 | ||||||||
National champion Postseason invitational champion | |||||||||
Magee has been married twice and has two daughters.[14]