Ray Scott
Philly native John Raymond “Ray” Scott’s college career began at the University of Portland. After three seasons in the professional Eastern Basketball League, he was chosen as the 4th pick in the 1961 NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons. He spent six years with the Pistons as a stand-out rebounder and deadly shooter from the perimeter, and another five years playing for the Baltimore Bullets and the Virginia Squires. Then, in October 1972, Scott was promoted from Assistant to Head Coach of the Detroit Pistons, thanks in part to strong support from former coach Earl Lloyd who, a decade earlier, had scouted Scott and recommended that he be the Pistons top pick. Two years later he was named NBA Coach of the Year, the first African-American to win the coveted award. From 1976 to 1979, Scott was Men’s Basketball Head Coach at Eastern Michigan University. Today, he lives with his family in Eastern Michigan, not far from Detroit. This is his first book. Charley Rosen is one of the most respected writers of books on basketball, including fiction like the New York Times Notable Book The House of Moses All-Stars and nonfiction like his telling of the Jack Molinas story in The Wizard of Odds. He has also been a sports commentator at FOXSports.com and HoopsHype.com. He lives near Woodstock, New York.
