In 2011, a four-star recruit from Alpharetta, GA, stepped foot on the Ohio State campus to play basketball for Thad Matta’s Buckeyes. It was a somewhat unusual place for Matta to go in and pluck talent from, but Shannon Scott was the Gatorade Georgia Player of the Year, Atlanta-Journal Constitution Player of the Year, and a member of the Georgia 5A First Team All-State Team.
Oh, and it didn’t hurt that he was the son of former NBA and North Carolina star player Charlie Scott, who won a championship ring with the Boston Celtics, and also played with the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets. When coaches evaluate talent, bloodlines are relevant and can make the difference between an offer or a snub. Matta took a shot.
Scott brought his quickness and defensive skills to the Buckeyes, playing behind Aaron Craft his first three seasons in Columbus. There were a few experiments to try to pair Scott with Craft through the years, but with both a bit challenged in the jump shot department it never quite worked the way Matta would have liked.
He saw action in 36 games as a freshman, which says a lot given Matta’s short rotations, though he didn’t produce much more than a steady presence on defense and good ball handling skills. As a sophomore, Scott progressed the way you’d want a sophomore to, averaging five points and 3.8 assists per game. He was named to the coaches’ Big Ten All-Defensive Team.
As a junior, Scott’s progression seemed to stall. He averaged 7.5 points per game but his assists slipped to 3.4 per game. He did manage two steals per game, passed the 100 career steals mark, and was a consensus Big Ten All-Defensive Team selection. His jump shot was often absent, although every now and then he’d shoot out of his mind and make you wonder why he couldn’t do that every night.
Craft rewrote much of Ohio State’s record book during his time in Columbus, so it’s no surprise that Scott was in his shadow. The Georgia native always seemed just about to take the next step and perhaps Craft’s graduation would make that happen.
For Scott’s first three years in Columbus, the Buckeyes were Aaron Craft’s team. This season was supposed to be Scott’s time. But a baby-faced freshman with mad skills came along and took even that. This year’s Ohio State squad is D’Angelo Russell’s team.
The Buckeyes never became Scott’s team. That’s not his fault. Craft and Russell are exceptional talents. There is no shame in standing in the shadow of either. Scott calmly goes about his business, averaging 7.9 points this season–a microscopic increase over his junior campaign. He leads the B1G in assists per game (5.9) and is fourth in steals (1.7 per game). His defense continues to be strong.
As Senior Day looms tomorrow against Wisconsin, what will Scott’s lasting legacy be?
Most will remember him for his defense and for never quite becoming what they expected. Some unreasonable people will remember that the Georgian was not as impactful as Columbus native Trey Burke was at Michigan—and they will blame him for it. Others will recall only his wild drives to the hoop that resulted in blocks or clanged impotently off the bottom of the rim.
Me? I’ll remember a kid who handled his four years in Columbus with class and dignity; a player who many other programs would have salivated over; a quick point guard who played hard, won a lot of games, and gave Ohio State four years of service; and the wizard who set up so many of Sam Thompson’s circus dunks.
I’ll remember Shannon Scott as a Buckeye.
