Pavan
02-19-2004, 06:09 PM
BYRON SCOTT JOINS ABC SPORTS AS ANALYST FOR “GMC NBA HANGTIME”
Former Lakers Great and Nets Coach to Debut in Studio on February 22 (12:30 p.m., ET), Prior to ABC Sports’ Coverage of Cavaliers vs. Knicks
Bryon Scott, who guided the New Jersey Nets to consecutive Eastern Conference Championships and was a three-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, joins ABC Sports as a studio analyst for “GMC NBA Hangtime,” the network’s 30-minute NBA pre-game show, where he will work alongside Mike Tirico and Tom Tolbert (John Saunders fills in for Mike Tirico this week), it was announced today by Michael Pearl, senior vice president and executive producer, ABC Sports.
“When someone with the contemporary knowledge of the game and the ability to communicate like Byron Scott becomes available, we just had to jump at the chance to add him to our announce team,” said Pearl. “Byron should be a perfect
complement and will be able to give the perspective of a head coach who has had enormous recent success in the NBA. The addition of Byron strengthens our already deep lineup of NBA announcers and allows us to continue to use George Karl in his current role as a game analyst on ESPN, as well as studio
appearances on ‘NBA Fastbreak.’”
Scott, who was relieved of his duties as Nets coach after 42 games this season, led the Nets to the NBA Finals the previous two seasons. In 2002-03, the Nets were eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs 4-2, following a regular season campaign that saw them go 50-32 to win the Atlantic Division. In his second
season as Nets coach (2001-02), Scott guided the Nets to a 52-30 mark, and the Nets advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in their 26-year NBA history, where they were swept by the Los Angeles Lakers in four games. The 52-win total represented the most ever by a Nets team, and the record represented the largest turnaround (26 games) for any coach in Nets history, marking the sixth-biggest turnaround in NBA history.
Scott was named the Nets’ head coach on June 27, 2000, following two seasons (1998-00) as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings. A 14-year NBA veteran, he spent 11 seasons with the Lakers, including a 10-year run during the
club’s “Showtime” era, earning three NBA Championships (1985, 1987, 1988). His teams qualified for the NBA playoffs in 13 of his 14 seasons, and his 183 career playoff games ranks him fifth in NBA history, behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Danny Ainge, Magic Johnson and Robert Parish.
As a player, Scott averaged 14.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists. He ended his NBA career in 1996-97, where he started it, with the Lakers, after spending two seasons with the Indiana Pacers (1993-95) and one with the Vancouver Grizzlies (1995-96).
The fourth overall selection in the 1983 NBA Draft, Scott was drafted by the San Diego Clippers (now L.A. Clippers) before having his draft rights traded to the Lakers prior to his rookie season. He played collegiately at Arizona State University, where he left as the school’s all-time leading scorer, with 1,752 points. He was named First Team All-Pac 10 Conference his final season
(1982-83), after averaging 21.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists.
A native of Inglewood, California, Scott also has an impressive resume of community involvement. His non-profit organization, The Byron Scott Children’s Fund, has raised more than three million dollars over the past decade, with proceeds going to various children’s charities. He and his wife, Anita, have
three children, Thomas, LonDen and DaRon, and reside in Livingston, New Jersey.
UPCOMING NBA ON ABC:
(all times ET; games preceded by “GMC NBA Hangtime,” the 30-minute pre-game show)
Sunday, Feb. 22 1:00 p.m. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks
Sunday, March 7 1:00 p.m. Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets
Sunday, March 7 3:30 p.m. New Jersey Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Sunday, March 14 1:00 p.m. Philadelphia 76ers vs. Detroit Pistons
Sunday, March 14 3:30 p.m. San Antonio Spurs vs. Sacramento Kings
Sunday, March 21 1:30 p.m. Dallas Mavericks vs. New Jersey Nets
Sunday, March 28 1:30 p.m. Dallas Mavericks vs. Orlando Magic
Sunday, April 4 1:00 p.m. Sacramento Kings vs. Houston Rockets
Sunday, April 4 3:30 p.m. San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Sunday, April 11 1:00 p.m. Philadelphia 76ers vs. New Jersey Nets
Sunday, April 11 3:30 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings
Former Lakers Great and Nets Coach to Debut in Studio on February 22 (12:30 p.m., ET), Prior to ABC Sports’ Coverage of Cavaliers vs. Knicks
Bryon Scott, who guided the New Jersey Nets to consecutive Eastern Conference Championships and was a three-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, joins ABC Sports as a studio analyst for “GMC NBA Hangtime,” the network’s 30-minute NBA pre-game show, where he will work alongside Mike Tirico and Tom Tolbert (John Saunders fills in for Mike Tirico this week), it was announced today by Michael Pearl, senior vice president and executive producer, ABC Sports.
“When someone with the contemporary knowledge of the game and the ability to communicate like Byron Scott becomes available, we just had to jump at the chance to add him to our announce team,” said Pearl. “Byron should be a perfect
complement and will be able to give the perspective of a head coach who has had enormous recent success in the NBA. The addition of Byron strengthens our already deep lineup of NBA announcers and allows us to continue to use George Karl in his current role as a game analyst on ESPN, as well as studio
appearances on ‘NBA Fastbreak.’”
Scott, who was relieved of his duties as Nets coach after 42 games this season, led the Nets to the NBA Finals the previous two seasons. In 2002-03, the Nets were eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs 4-2, following a regular season campaign that saw them go 50-32 to win the Atlantic Division. In his second
season as Nets coach (2001-02), Scott guided the Nets to a 52-30 mark, and the Nets advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in their 26-year NBA history, where they were swept by the Los Angeles Lakers in four games. The 52-win total represented the most ever by a Nets team, and the record represented the largest turnaround (26 games) for any coach in Nets history, marking the sixth-biggest turnaround in NBA history.
Scott was named the Nets’ head coach on June 27, 2000, following two seasons (1998-00) as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings. A 14-year NBA veteran, he spent 11 seasons with the Lakers, including a 10-year run during the
club’s “Showtime” era, earning three NBA Championships (1985, 1987, 1988). His teams qualified for the NBA playoffs in 13 of his 14 seasons, and his 183 career playoff games ranks him fifth in NBA history, behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Danny Ainge, Magic Johnson and Robert Parish.
As a player, Scott averaged 14.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists. He ended his NBA career in 1996-97, where he started it, with the Lakers, after spending two seasons with the Indiana Pacers (1993-95) and one with the Vancouver Grizzlies (1995-96).
The fourth overall selection in the 1983 NBA Draft, Scott was drafted by the San Diego Clippers (now L.A. Clippers) before having his draft rights traded to the Lakers prior to his rookie season. He played collegiately at Arizona State University, where he left as the school’s all-time leading scorer, with 1,752 points. He was named First Team All-Pac 10 Conference his final season
(1982-83), after averaging 21.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists.
A native of Inglewood, California, Scott also has an impressive resume of community involvement. His non-profit organization, The Byron Scott Children’s Fund, has raised more than three million dollars over the past decade, with proceeds going to various children’s charities. He and his wife, Anita, have
three children, Thomas, LonDen and DaRon, and reside in Livingston, New Jersey.
UPCOMING NBA ON ABC:
(all times ET; games preceded by “GMC NBA Hangtime,” the 30-minute pre-game show)
Sunday, Feb. 22 1:00 p.m. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks
Sunday, March 7 1:00 p.m. Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets
Sunday, March 7 3:30 p.m. New Jersey Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Sunday, March 14 1:00 p.m. Philadelphia 76ers vs. Detroit Pistons
Sunday, March 14 3:30 p.m. San Antonio Spurs vs. Sacramento Kings
Sunday, March 21 1:30 p.m. Dallas Mavericks vs. New Jersey Nets
Sunday, March 28 1:30 p.m. Dallas Mavericks vs. Orlando Magic
Sunday, April 4 1:00 p.m. Sacramento Kings vs. Houston Rockets
Sunday, April 4 3:30 p.m. San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Sunday, April 11 1:00 p.m. Philadelphia 76ers vs. New Jersey Nets
Sunday, April 11 3:30 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings