Oct. 4, 2010
By Jon Cooper Sting Daily
Dennis Scott has always been a straight shooter.
At Georgia Tech he was the 1990 ACC Player of the Year, AP National Player of the Year and a crucial part of “Lethal Weapon 3,” along with Kenny Anderson and Brian Oliver, which sparked Georgia Tech’s run to the Final Four. He still holds the school-records for three-point field goals in a game (11), season (137) and career (351) and was inducted into the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.
Scott was the fourth overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic and played 11 seasons in the NBA, earning All-Rookie Team honors in 1991, helping the Orlando Magic to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1995 and setting the League’s single-season record for most three pointers with 267 in 1995-96, a record that lasted until Seattle’s Ray Allen broke it in 2006.
Upon retiring in 2001, Scott moved into the broadcast booth, where his insights and analysis have been as accurate and as smooth as his stroke from behind the arc.
“3-D” recently talked to Sting Daily and what he did best, shoot from the hip on topics including his current career, last year’s Yellow Jackets, this year’s team and advice for sharpshooter, Brian Oliver.
STING DAILY: What are you doing with yourself now?
DENNIS SCOTT: I’m a full time employee with Turner Sports, so you’ll see me on NBA-TV, a little bit of TNT. I’m still going to try to do 10 or 15 [Hawks] games on the radio when the schedules don’t conflict, because being around this team for the last five or six years, they’re kind of like my little brothers. To see Josh Smith grow up, of course Joe Johnson get the big contract, Marvin Williams’ back. Of course, I played with Mike Bibby when he was in Vancouver, so now I tease him, ‘You’re getting old. You’re still playing. We played together a long time ago.’
S.D.: Have you followed Georgia Tech hoops this off-season?
D-SCOTT: I haven’t followed them too much this off-season. Last year I was a little disappointed. Hopefully [Head Coach] Paul [Hewitt] can turn this thing around and get some more horses in here. As you would say, thoroughbreds. Of course, I don’t have to explain about the history. We’re used to thoroughbreds. We’re used to guys coming in and being game-changers. So hopefully he can get some more game-changers in here.
S.D.: How tough is it replacing key pieces like Gani Lawal and Derrick Favors?
D-SCOTT: It’s tough to replace, but Bobby [Cremins] used to have this saying, ‘If I’m going after the best, there is the chance that they may leave. So I’ve got to make sure I’ve got the best coming in to replace them.’ That was his thing for so many years, until, I think, Stephon Marbury, was the last one where he thought they still had another year left and they didn’t have anybody coming in after him. But it’s tough today. If you have a kid that’s in the top 25, who comes to your school, it’s a pretty good chance he’s going to leave after one year. That’s just the way the system is.
S.D.: What are your thoughts on Tech’s current Brian Oliver?
D-SCOTT: I saw two games last year and I thought he thought too much, very similar to Anthony Morrow. People said, ‘Oh Anthony Morrow is not going to make it.’ I said, ‘Man, I’m willing to bet my last dollar that he does make it, because he has a natural stroke.’ His high school coach didn’t teach him it. His AAU coach didn’t teach him it. He was born to shoot the basketball. Once he got to the NBA, he realized, ‘I really can shoot. Why am I thinking?’ I think that’s what Brian Oliver is going through right now. It’s very similar. Now Morrow may still be a better shooter but if Brian Oliver adapts that confidence that we shooters have, he has an opportunity to be a great shooter.
S.D.: Do you find it ironic that you have to tell a guy at Georgia Tech, ‘Don’t think’?
D-SCOTT: You think enough during the day (laughs).
