http://www.nba.com/hornets/news/scott_040528.html May 28, 2004 Scott Named New Hornets Head Coach New Orleans – The New Orleans Hornets announced they have hired Byron Scott as the seventh head coach in franchise history. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released. "We said we would go out and get the best available coach on the market and we succeeded," said Hornets Owner George Shinn. "Now that we have Byron on board, we can concentrate on helping him succeed by continuing to do whatever it takes to make this team better." Scott comes to the Hornets after three-and-a-half seasons in New Jersey (2000-03), during which time he compiled a 149-139 (.517) record and took the Nets from the bottom of the Eastern Conference (only three teams were worse the season before he arrived) to one of the NBA's elite teams. The Nets reached the NBA Finals twice under Scott's leadership (2002 and 2003) and won back-to-back Atlantic Division titles. "The reason we were able to get a coach who not only meets all the qualities we were looking for, but exceeds them, was the tremendously thorough job that George Shinn did in conducting this search and fulfilling his promise to get the best man for the job," said Hornets Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Bob Bass. After taking over as Nets head coach in 2000, Scott posted a 26-56 mark in his first year, but guided the Nets to a 52-30 record and a trip to the NBA Finals in the 2001-02 season, just his second as a head coach at any level. The 52 wins were a Nets franchise record and represented the sixth-best turnaround (26 games) in NBA history, while Scott was named head coach of the Eastern Conference All-Star Team during the 2002 All-Star Game in Philadelphia. The team finished the 2002-03 regular season at 49-33 (second-best record in the Eastern Conference) and captured its second consecutive Atlantic Division crown before once again appearing in the Finals. Prior to joining the Nets, Scott spent two seasons (1998-99 and 1999-00) as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings, where the team posted their first back-to-back winning seasons (27-23 and 44-38) in 20 years. "The tremendous success that Byron has achieved as both a coach and a player will be key in helping us reach our goal of putting the best possible team on the floor," said Shinn. "We're excited to have him help us give the fans of New Orleans with what they deserve--a team that will compete and contend at the highest level possible." Scott began his coaching career after 14 years as a player in the NBA with Los Angeles (1983-93, 1996-97), Indiana (1993-95) and Vancouver (1995-96). Scott, who holds career averages of 14.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists, won three NBA championships (1985, 1987, 1988) as a key member of the Lakers' "Showtime" era. He experienced only two losing seasons as a player and his teams qualified for the playoffs in 13 of his 14 seasons. His best season came during the Lakers' 1988 championship run, when he averaged 21.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists. --

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