John Raymond Scott (born July 12, 1938) is an American former professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
player and coach.
Playing career
A 6'9"
forward/
center who played
college basketball
In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
at the
University of Portland
, mottoeng = The truth will set you free
, established = 1901
, type = Private university
, religious_affiliation = Catholic (Congregation of Holy Cross)
, endowment = $218 million
, president = Robert D. Kelly
, students = 3,731 (fall 20 ...
, Scott was selected with the fourth pick of the
1961 NBA Draft by the
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...
, and was a deadly shooter near the perimeter of the court. Scott had an 11-year career in the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball sports league, league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues i ...
(NBA) and the
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a major men's professional basketball league from 1967 to 1976. The ABA ceased to exist with the American Basketball Association–National Basketball Association merger in 1976, leading to four A ...
(ABA), with the Pistons,
Baltimore Bullets, and
Virginia Squires
The Virginia Squires were a basketball team based in Norfolk, Virginia, and playing in several other Virginia cities. They were members of the American Basketball Association from 1970 to 1976.
The team originated in 1967 as the Oakland Oaks, a ...
.
Coaching career
Scott was promoted from assistant to head coach of the Pistons on October 28, 1972, succeeding
Earl Lloyd
Earl Francis Lloyd (April 3, 1928 – February 26, 2015) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He was the first African American player to play a game in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
An All–American player at ...
after a 2–5 start. Under his direction, the ballclub went 38–37 for the remainder of the
1972–73 campaign. He received the
NBA Coach of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who le ...
and become the first black man to win NBA coach of the year after guiding the Pistons to a then-franchise-best 52–30 regular season record in
1973–74. The team slumped to 40–42 in
1974–75. He was dismissed and replaced by assistant
Herb Brown with the Pistons at 17–25 on January 26, 1976. He was appointed men's basketball head coach at
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University (EMU, Eastern Michigan or simply Eastern), is a public research university in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School, the school was the fourth normal school established in the United St ...
just over six weeks later on March 10, 1976.
Eshenroder, Owen. "Away from the Pros, Ray Scott Finds Happiness on EMU Campus," ''Focus EMU'' (Eastern Michigan University), November 22, 1976.
Retrieved December 3, 2020 Over three seasons, he guided EMU to a 29–52 record. Eastern Michigan fired Scott in March 1979.
Personal
After his coaching career, Scott went into private business. He also has held the position of ambassador for children and families for the Wellspring Lutheran service agency in Michigan.
/ref> In February 2008, Scott was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
The Michigan Sports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame to honor Michigan sports athletes, coaches and contributors. It was organized in 1954 by Michigan Lieutenant Governor Philip Hart, Michigan State University athletic director Biggie Munn, preside ...
.[ In April 2008, during a celebration of the Pistons' 50th anniversary, he was named one of the "30 All-Time Pistons". In November 2017, Scott was inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame.
]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scott, Ray
1938 births
Living people
Allentown Jets players
American men's basketball players
Baltimore Bullets (1963–1973) players
Basketball coaches from Pennsylvania
Buffalo Braves expansion draft picks
Centers (basketball)
Detroit Pistons draft picks
Detroit Pistons head coaches
Detroit Pistons players
Eastern Michigan Eagles men's basketball coaches
Portland Pilots men's basketball players
Power forwards (basketball)
Virginia Squires players
Basketball players from Philadelphia
Sportspeople from Philadelphia
West Philadelphia High School alumni