FLASHBACK FRIDAY: DENNIS "3D" SCOTT

It's Flashback Friday, so how about we start writing blogs about athletes that I think would thrive or be better in today's league for their sport than they were in the era they played in. Starting for the first Flashback Friday, we're going back to the 90s and those sick pinstripe Magic jerseys and focusing on Dennis "3D" Scott. Now I was first introduced to 3D to a super fun show called "Open Court" on NBATV. It was a bunch of retired NBA players that would take the league's history. How old is it? Steve Kerr had never coached a game yet. Well obviously I forced my dad to watch an episode with me and he told me that 3D was flat out COLD in college and the early 90's.

He formed a trio at Georgia Tech with Kenny Anderson (future All-Star) and Brian Oliver called "Lethal Weapon 3" and boy were they. 3D won ACC ROY his freshman year but really popped off his junior year:

• All-ACC

• ACC Player of the Year

• 2nd Team All-American

• 28-7 record, Final Four finish

• 28/7/2 averages with 2 steals and a block

He was then drafted 4th overall to the Orlando Magic in 1990. 3D immediately became known as a pure sharpshooter from 3-point land as he became a key role player in his 3rd season when the Magic landed Shaq and his 4th as well when they landed Penny Hardaway and made the Finals. In 1995-96, 3D poured in 267 3-pts in a season on an INCREDIBLE 42.6%. For reference this is the 27th most threes in a season all-time and the only pre-21st century appearance in the top 30. It was the record for 10 whole years until Ray Allen, the former 3-pt king himself broke it. On April 14th, 1996, Dennis Scott had his best game ever. He dropped 35 pts while making 11/17 3’s. He only made one non-three-pointer and no free throws. It’s currently tied for the 11th most in a game. It was the record for the next 7 years when some player by the name of Kobe Bryant made 12.

But to me, the main place where 3D doesn’t get enough credit is being one of the first TRUE 3-point specialists where a player is just there and shoots 3s at a high rate whenever he gets the ball. He also is credited as being one first players to truly implement the transition 3, where a player runs out to the 3-point line on a fastbreak and makes one before the defense can get set. For reference, in his 7 years in Orlando, he shot 40% from three on 5.5 attempts. SIXTY-ONE players are attempting more than that this year. Only 15 of those 61 are shooting 40% and better. My point? Imagine 3D shooting 8-10 threes a game at 6'8 in today's league. That's easily a $20M+ player. Shoutout to Dennis Scott man.