THE FLATS – Georgia Tech’s Dennis Scott, the 1990 Atlantic Coast Conference and Sporting News National Men’s Basketball Player of the Year and a first-team All-American by six organizations, will have his jersey No. 4 retired by the Institute.
Georgia Tech director of athletics J Batt and men’s basketball head coach Damon Stoudamire surprised Scott with the announcement on Thursday live on NBA TV, where Scott is a longtime on-air personality and analyst for TNT Sports.
Damon Stoudamire & J Batt surprise Dennis Scott with number retirement announcement (courtesy of NBA TV/TNT Sports)
The 6-foot-8 Scott is one of five Georgia Tech players ever to be named a first-team All-American by an NCAA-recognized organization, named in 1990 by Basketball Times, The Sporting News, the Wooden Award, the United States Basketball Writers of America, the Naismith Award and The National. He also earned second-team honors by three other organizations, and was a finalist for the Naismith and Wooden Awards in 1990.
Scott, part of the Yellow Jackets’ legendary Lethal Weapon 3 trio with Brian Oliver and Kenny Anderson, led Tech to its second all-time ACC title that year, and to the first NCAA Final Four in program history, winning 28 games before falling to UNLV in the national semifinal in Denver, Colo.
Scott became eligible to have his jersey retired in December when he received his Executive Master of Business Administration degree from Georgia Tech. Scott will be officially honored and have a banner hung in his honor at a Tech home basketball game during the 2024-25 season.
“Dennis’ basketball accomplishments are off the chart,” said his legendary Georgia Tech coach, Bobby Cremins. “He has made Atlanta his home for over 20 years in his post playing career. For two years Dennis has been taking classes on campus, and with his mom Elizabeth, wife Rachael and his children proudly watching, he graduated this past December 16th in the arena where he played. I know Dennis very well, and I couldn’t be prouder of who he is and how he represents Georgia Tech.”
Scott set Tech records for points in a season (970) and three-point field goals in a career (351) and remains the Yellow Jackets’ fourth all-time leading scorer (2,115 points). Last December, he completed a 17-month Executive MBA program at Tech, making him eligible to have his number retired.
Arriving at Tech from Reston, Va., Scott immediately made his mark on the Tech program, winning the ACC Rookie of the Year Award in the 1987-88 season, then earning third-team All-ACC and third-team All-America honors as a sophomore. Tech played in the NCAA Tournament both years.
His 970 points scored in the 1989-90 season remain the ACC all-time record, and his scoring average of 27.7 is second only to Rich Yunkus (30.1 from 1968-71). He set the ACC record for three-point field goals in a season with 137, a mark that still stands second in the conference’s all-time annals, just two shy of the new record of 139 (Duke’s J.J. Redick – 2005-06). His career scoring average of 21.36 ranks 19th in conference annals and fourth in Tech history. Scott ranks fourth in Tech history in career points (2,115) despite playing just three seasons, and he holds the Tech career record for three-point field goals (351) and highest three-point percentage (42.2).
Scott becomes the seventh Georgia Tech men’s basketball student-athlete to have his jersey number retired, joining Roger Kaiser (No. 21), Yunkus (No. 40), Mark Price (No. 25), John Salley (No. 22), Tom Hammonds (No. 20) and Matt Harpring (No. 15).
Scott (left), Kenny Anderson (12) and Brian Oliver (13) formed Tech’s famed “Lethal Weapin 3,” leading the Yellow Jackets to their second all-time ACC title and the program’s first NCAA Final Four appearance in 1990.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of the development of Yellow Jackets that thrive academically at the Institute and compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team is in its second year under head coach Damon Stoudamire. Tech has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, won four ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993, 2021), played in the NCAA Tournament 17 times and played in two Final Fours (1990, 2004). Connect with Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball on social media by liking their Facebook Page, or following on X (@GTMBB) and Instagram. For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
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