Lakers Moments: Byron Scott came to L.A. to play
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Take notice: Byron Scott drives through the Boston Celtics’ defense en route to two of his season-high 35 points during the Lakers’ 119-110 victory on Feb. 20, 1989.
Scott was acquired by the Lakers when they traded Norm Nixon to the San Diego Clippers, who selected Scott with the third pick in the 1983 NBA draft. He produced immediately, averaging more than 10 points a game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie team after that season.
He also proved to be remarkably consistent, averaging double figures in scoring in 10 of his 11 seasons with the Lakers. The one season with the Lakers that Scott did not score at least 10 points a game, 1996-97, was his last year in the league, and he had been brought back to the team to serve as a mentor to a young shooting guard named Kobe Bryant.
When Scott led the league in three-point shooting percentage in 1984-85 (43%), the Lakers defeated the Celtics in the NBA Finals for the first time. And his value is clear when you consider that he led the 1988 championship team — viewed by many as the greatest Lakers team ever — in scoring, averaging 21.7 points a game.
Read more about Byron Scott in All Things Lakers, the Los Angeles Times’ interactive database of all things purple and gold.
-- Sarah Ardalani and Steve Lowery