Byron Scott facts for kids
Terrell Owens with Byron Scott in 2016
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 28, 1961 Ogden, Utah, U.S. |
| High school | Morningside (Inglewood, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 205 lb (93 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Arizona State (1979–1983) |
| NBA Draft | 1983 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall |
| Selected by the San Diego Clippers | |
| Pro career | 1983–1998 |
| Coaching career | 1998–2016 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1983–1993 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1993–1995 | Indiana Pacers |
| 1995–1996 | Vancouver Grizzlies |
| 1996–1997 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1997–1998 | Panathinaikos |
| As coach: | |
| 1998–2000 | Sacramento Kings (assistant) |
| 2000–2004 | New Jersey Nets |
| 2004–2009 | New Orleans Hornets |
| 2010–2013 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2014–2016 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As coach:
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 15,097 (14.1 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,987 (2.8 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,729 (2.5 apg) |
Byron Antom Scott (born March 28, 1961) is a famous American former professional basketball player and coach. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and later became a head coach. As a player, Byron Scott won three NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s. He was also named the NBA Coach of the Year in 2008 while coaching the New Orleans Hornets.
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Byron Scott's Early Life and College Basketball
Byron Scott grew up in Inglewood, California, which is very close to where the Lakers used to play. He attended Morningside High School. After high school, he played college basketball at Arizona State University for three years. He was a very successful player there.
In 1980, he was named the Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball Freshman of the Year. By 1983, he was a First-team All-Pac-10 player. He scored an average of 17.5 points per game during his college career. In 2011, Arizona State honored him by retiring his No. 11 jersey.
Byron Scott's Professional Basketball Career
Playing in the NBA
Byron Scott was chosen by the San Diego Clippers as the fourth pick in the 1983 NBA draft. However, he was quickly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers that same year. During his playing days, Scott played for the Lakers, Indiana Pacers, and Vancouver Grizzlies.
He was a very important player for the Lakers during their "Showtime era" in the 1980s. He started alongside legendary players like Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and A.C. Green. He played for the Lakers for 10 seasons, from 1983 to 1993. During this time, he helped the team win three NBA championships in 1985, 1987, and 1988.
As a rookie, Scott was part of the 1984 NBA All-Rookie team. In the 1984–85 season, he led the NBA in three-point shooting percentage. His best season was in 1987–88, when he led the NBA champion Lakers in scoring, averaging 21.7 points per game. He was the Lakers' main shooting guard from 1984 to 1993.
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After leaving the Lakers in 1993, Scott signed with the Indiana Pacers. He made a game-winning three-point shot in a playoff game against the Orlando Magic. The Pacers later reached the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in their history.
In 1995, he was chosen by the Vancouver Grizzlies in the NBA expansion draft, playing one season there. In his final NBA season (1996–97), Scott returned to the Lakers. He was a valuable mentor to younger players like Shaquille O'Neal, Eddie Jones, Nick Van Exel, and an 18-year-old rookie named Kobe Bryant. The Lakers made it to the playoffs that year, reaching the semi-finals.
Playing in Greece
In the summer of 1997, Byron Scott went to play for Panathinaikos, a professional basketball team in Greece. He played in Europe's second-biggest competition, the FIBA Saporta Cup, and in the Greek Basket League.
He helped his team win the Greek Basket League championship in 1998 with his strong scoring. After one successful season in Greece, Scott decided to retire from playing basketball. He then began his career as a coach.
Byron Scott's Coaching Career
Starting as an Assistant Coach
Byron Scott started his NBA coaching journey in 1998. He worked as an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings. He helped the team with their game plans and strategies.
Coaching the New Jersey Nets
In 2000, Scott became the head coach of the New Jersey Nets. His first year was tough, but the team improved a lot when Jason Kidd joined in 2001. The Nets had a record-breaking season, winning 52 games. They made it to their first-ever NBA Finals in 2002, but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The next season, 2002–03, the Nets again reached the NBA Finals. They faced the San Antonio Spurs, led by Tim Duncan. The series was very close, but the Spurs eventually won the championship. Scott was fired during the 2003–04 season, even though the team was leading their division.
Coaching the New Orleans Hornets
Scott became the head coach of the New Orleans Hornets in 2004. In 2005, the team drafted Chris Paul, who became Rookie of the Year. The team faced challenges, including playing many home games in Oklahoma City because of Hurricane Katrina.
In the 2007–08 season, Scott led the Hornets to a great record of 56 wins and 26 losses. They won their division and finished second in the Western Conference. Because of this success, he was named the head coach for the Western Conference All-Star team in 2008. A few months later, he won the prestigious NBA Coach of the Year Award. The Hornets gave him a two-year contract extension.
The Hornets won their first playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks that year. They then faced the defending champions, the San Antonio Spurs, in the next round. It was a tough series, and the Spurs won in the final game. Scott was later relieved from his coaching duties in November 2009 after a slow start to the season.
Coaching the Cleveland Cavaliers
On July 1, 2010, Scott was named head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. This was just before the team's star player, LeBron James, left for another team. In his first season, the Cavaliers had a long losing streak. However, they ended the season with some wins, including an upset victory over LeBron James's new team.
The Cavaliers then drafted Kyrie Irving with the first overall pick. Irving became the second player Scott coached to win the Rookie of the Year award. Scott was fired by the Cavaliers in April 2013.
Coaching the Los Angeles Lakers
After working as a TV analyst for the Lakers, Byron Scott was hired as their head coach on July 28, 2014. The team was rebuilding during his time there. In the 2015 NBA draft, the Lakers drafted D'Angelo Russell.
His second season, 2015–16, was Kobe Bryant's final season before retiring. The Lakers had a tough year. In April 2016, the Lakers decided not to continue with Scott as their coach.
Byron Scott's Personal Life
Byron Scott has a non-profit organization called The Byron Scott Children's Fund. This fund has raised over $15 million to help various children's charities. He has also worked as a basketball analyst for TV channels like ABC and ESPN.
Byron Scott has three children with his ex-wife, Anita. In 2020, he married Cece Gutierrez. He also went back to college at Arizona State University, 37 years after he left early to play in the NBA. He earned a bachelor's degree in liberal arts, fulfilling a promise he made to his late mother.
Images for kids
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Scott with Panathinaikos in 1998
See also
In Spanish: Byron Scott para niños
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff steals leaders
