James Michael Scott (born July 16, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers under Tony Bennett.
High school career
Scott played his high school career at Deep Creek High School and then prepped for a year at Hargrave Military Academy.
Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Scott was listed as the No. 33 power forward and the No. 115 player in the nation in 2007.
College career
After a solid first three years in which he led the team in rebounding as a sophomore and junior, Scott appeared poised for a breakout year in 2010â€"11. He began the year averaging 15.9 points and 10.2 rebounds in the team's first ten games. But Scott's season ended early as he suffered an ankle injury and underwent season-ending surgery.
Due to his injury, Scott was granted a medical redshirt and a fifth year of eligibility. He was one of the top players in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in 2011â€"12, averaging 18.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game and led the ACC in field goal percentage at .563. He led the Cavaliers to a 22-10 record and their first NCAA tournament berth in five years, losing to Florida in the round of 64. Scott received conference recognition as the second-leading vote getter for the All-ACC team and national recognition as an All-American by the Sporting News (third team) and the Associated Press (Honorable Mention).
Scott finished his Virginia career with 1,538 points and is the third leading rebounder in Cavalier history with 944.
Professional career
Atlanta Hawks (2012â€"2017)
On June 28, 2012, Scott was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the 43rd overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft. He later joined the Hawks for the 2012 NBA Summer League. On September 6, he signed with the Hawks. On December 1, he was assigned to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League. He was recalled by the Hawks on December 11, reassigned on March 1, and recalled again on March 6. Scott appeared in 40 games for the Hawks as a rookie in 2012â€"13, averaging 4.6 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.
On February 22, 2014, Scott scored a career-high 30 points in a 107â€"98 win over the New York Knicks. He became a primary scoring option off the bench for the Hawks in 2013â€"14, averaging a career-high 9.6 points per game on the season.
On August 26, 2014, Scott re-signed with the Hawks. On March 14, 2015, he was ruled out indefinitely after suffering a left toe injury against the Denver Nuggets on March 11. He missed 11 games with the injury, returning to action on April 4 against the Brooklyn Nets. On April 8, he tied his season-high of 20 points in another win over the Nets.
On December 26, 2015, Scott scored a season-high 18 points in a 117â€"98 win over the New York Knicks.
On October 31, 2016, Scott was ruled out for four weeks while undergoing a series of non-surgical procedures for his left knee soreness. During the 2016â€"17 season, he had multiple assignments to the Delaware 87ers and Long Island Nets of the NBA Development League, pursuant to the flexible assignment rule.
On February 23, 2017, Scott was traded, along with the rights to Cenk Akyol and cash considerations, to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for a top-55 protected 2017 second-round pick. However, he was waived by the Suns the following day.
Washington Wizards (2017â€"present)
On July 9, 2017, Scott signed with the Washington Wizards.
NBA career statistics
Regular season
Playoffs
Personal life
On July 30, 2015, Scott and his brother, Antonn, were arrested for drug charges after 35.2 grams of marijuana and 10.9 grams of MDMA were found in a SUV driven by Antonn. The vehicle originally had been stopped for following too closely in Banks County, Georgia on Interstate 85 northeast of Atlanta; the vehicle failed to yield for about two miles, with speeds reaching 98Â mph, before it finally pulled over. Scott was facing a possible 25-year prison sentence for his drug charges. On May 2, 2017, a Georgia superior court issued a ruling to suppress all evidence and dismiss the felony drug case against Scott and his brother, largely based upon testimony and evidence that suggested a pattern of racial profiling by law enforcement in the county.
References
External links
- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com, or Basketball-Reference.com
- Mike Scott at virginiasports.com
- Mike Scott on Twitter
