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The NBA in Black and White
The Memoir of a Trailblazing NBA Player and Coach
1 of 1 copy available
“There’s a basic insecurity with Black guys my size,” Scott writes. “We can’t hide and everybody turns to stare when we walk down the street. … Whites believe that their culture is superior to African-American culture. ... We don’t accept many of [their] answers, but we have to live with them.”
Ray Scott was part of the early wave of Black NBA players like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who literally changed how the game of professional basketball is played—leading to the tremendously popular financial blockbuster the NBA is today. Scott was a celebrated 6’9” forward/center after being chosen by the Detroit Pistons as the #4 pick of the 1961 NBA draft, and then again after he was named head coach of the Pistons in October 1972, winning Coach of the Year in the spring of 1974—the first black man ever to capture that honor.
Scott’s is a story of quiet persistence, hard work, and, most of all, respect. He credits the mentorship of NBA player and coach Earl Lloyd, and talks about fellow Philly native Wilt Chamberlain and friends Muhammad Ali and Aretha Franklin, among many others. Ray has lived through one of the most turbulent times in our nation’s history, especially the time of assassinations of so many Black leaders at the end of the 1960s. Through it all, his voice remains quiet and measured, transcending all the sorrows with his steadiness and positive attitude. This is his story, told in collaboration with the great basketball writer, former college player and CBA coach Charley Rosen.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
June 28, 2022 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781644211991
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9781644211991
- File size: 24531 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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May 23, 2022
Scott, who became the first Black coach to be named NBA Coach of the Year in 1974, delivers a moving reflection on his influential career. Raised in South Philadelphia in the 1940s, Scott’s talent on the court made him an attractive prospect for colleges and led to a successful collegiate career at the University of Portland. After being drafted to the NBA by the Detroit Pistons in 1961, the young player quickly established himself as a standout defender and rebounder, though his achievements never yielded a selection for the All-Star Game—an omission from Scott’s résumé that he notes coincided with less-talented white athletes being tapped as the best of the best. Racist prejudices affected Scott in his coaching career as well, but he found personal and career success after leaving pro hoops in 1979, with a happy third marriage, and a new job selling insurance. Fans of the sport will relish Scott’s insights, including how the game’s been changed by the emphasis on three-point shooting, as well as his tender account of finding an ally and mentor in NBA legend Earl Lloyd, who made history in 1950 as the first Black player to appear in an NBA game (“Earl was my big brother, and I did whatever he told me to do”). While it lacks the passion and depth of accounts by professional contemporaries such as Bill Russell and Connie Hawkins, this remains a valuable addition to hoops history.
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