Biography of Byron Scott

As the seventh coach in franchise history, Scott will use the experience of two trips to the NBA Finals as head coach of the New Jersey Nets and three NBA titles as a player with the Los Angeles Lakers to help the Hornets become a championship-caliber team.
Scott comes to the Hornets after three-and-a-half seasons in New Jersey, during which time he compiled a 149-139 (.517) record and took the Nets from the bottom of the Eastern Conference (only three teams were worse the season before he arrived) to one of the NBA’s elite teams.

He posted a 26-56 mark in his first year with the Nets (2000-01), but that record was not a sign of the times to come. Scott guided the Nets to a 52-30 record and a trip to the NBA Finals in the 2001-02 season, just his second as a head coach at any level. The 52 wins were a Nets franchise record and represented the sixth-best turnaround (26 games) in NBA history. The team enjoyed several other franchise firsts, including an Atlantic Division title, the best record in the Eastern Conference and hitting the 50-win mark. The Nets’ team success translated into individual honors for Scott, as he was named head coach of the Eastern Conference All-Star Team during the 2002 All-Star Game in Philadelphia. As good as the Nets were in the regular season, their march through the playoffs was even more impressive. Scott led the team to victories over the Pacers, Hornets and Celtics before they fell to the L.A. Lakers in the Finals.

Under Scott’s leadership, the Nets returned to the Finals in 2002-03. The team finished the regular season at 49-33 (second-best record in the Eastern Conference) and captured its second consecutive Atlantic Division crown before they once again rolled through the playoffs. The Nets defeated the Bucks in six games in the first round, then swept the Celtics and Pistons in the Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals, respectively, to set up their meeting with the Spurs in the Finals. After losing the first two games, Scott led the Nets back with two consecutive wins to tie the series before they eventually lost in six games.

Prior to joining the Nets, Scott spent two seasons (1998-99 and 1999-00) as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings. During his two years in Sacramento, the team posted their first back-to-back winning seasons (27-23 and 44-38) in 20 years. Scott’s responsibilities with the Kings included reviewing offensive game plans, advance scouting and individual skill work with perimeter players.

Scott began his coaching career after 14 years as a player in the NBA with Los Angeles (1983-93, 1996-97), Indiana (1993-95) and Vancouver (1995-96). Scott, who holds career averages of 14.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists, won three NBA championships (1985, 1987, 1988) as a key member of the Lakers’ “Showtime” era. He experienced only two losing seasons as a player and his teams qualified for the playoffs in 13 of his 14 seasons. His 183 career playoff games ranks seventh all-time behind Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Scottie Pippen, Danny Ainge, Magic Johnson, Robert Parish and Karl Malone. His best season came during the Lakers’ 1988 championship run, when he averaged 21.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists. After spending his 14th and final NBA season with the Lakers, Scott played one season in Greece for Pananthinaikos, where he led the team to the championship.

Scott entered the NBA as the fourth overall selection in the 1983 NBA Draft by the San Diego Clippers before his rights were traded to the Lakers. He played collegiately at Arizona State, where he finished his career as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,752 points. Scott was named First Team All-Pac 10 as a senior after averaging 21.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists.

The native of Inglewood, Calif., has an equally impressive record off the court. His non-profit organization, The Byron Scott Children’s Fund, has raised more than $3 million over the past decade, with the proceeds going to various children’s charities. Scott continued to broaden his résumé this season when he served as a studio analyst for ABC’s NBA telecasts.