Scot Pollard

infobox NBA Player


name = Scot Pollard
nickname = Samurai Scot
position = Center/Power forward
height_ft = 6 | height_in = 11
weight_lbs = 278
league = NBA
team = Free agent
number = 66
nationality = USA
birth_date = birth date and age|1975|2|12
birth_place = Murray, Utah
highschool = Torrey Pines HS
(San Diego, California)
college = Kansas
draft = 19th overall
draft_year = 1997
draft_team = Detroit Pistons
career_start = 1997
career_end =
former_teams = Detroit Pistons (1997–1998) Sacramento Kings (1999–2003) Indiana Pacers (2003–2006) Cleveland Cavaliers (2006–2007) Boston Celtics (2007–2008)
awards = 1-time NBA Champion
(2008)

Scot L. Pollard (born February 12 1975 in Murray, Utah) is an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and currently a free agent. In a ten-year NBA career, he has played for five teams, spending the bulk of his career with the Sacramento Kings and the Indiana Pacers. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2965392 Big man Pollard adds size, depth to Celts' bench] - updated August 7, 2007] Pollard is well known both for his defensive play and his unique hairstyles.

Basketball career

Pollard played high school basketball for three years at Torrey Pines High School in San Diego, California, before moving to Kennewick, Washington to play for Kamiakin High School. After graduating from Kamiakin, he attended the University of Kansas, where he graduated in 1997. While playing NCAA basketball, Pollard finished sixth in Jayhawks history among free throw shooters, with 358; fourth in rebounds with a total of 850; and second place in blocked shots, with 218.

Pollard was selected 19th overall in the 1997 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons, with whom he debuted during the 1997-98 NBA season. In 33 games with the Pistons, he averaged 2.7 points per game, as well as 2.2 rebounds and 0.3 assists.

He was traded to the Atlanta Hawks for Christian Laettner, but Pollard never suited up for a game with them and was waived almost a month later. Pollard was traded to the Sacramento Kings, whose management was in the midst of building a successful playoff team at the time, before the 1997-98 season began. With the Kings he suffered an injury that allowed him to play only for sixteen games during the lockout-shortened 1999 season. It was during his stint with the Kings that he became a solid backup to center Vlade Divac, often starting at Power Forward at times as well when Chris Webber was injured.

Pollard spent the 2002-03 NBA season plagued, once again, by injuries. After that season, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers.

As Pollard had an average of 3.4 rebounds, 3.2 points scored and 0.4 assists per game, his main contribution to the Pacers was his defensive prowess. He played an average of about 12 minutes per game.

Pollard's contract with the Pacers expired following the 2005-06 season. On August 18, 2006, Pollard signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

On August 9, 2007, Pollard signed a one-year contract with the Boston Celtics. Pollard chose #66 as his new uniform number, and always jestingly says that he took it because he would not be allowed to have three 6's on his jersey. [ [http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1185097626/bclid537033680/bctid1213855611 Gary Tanguay interviews the always entertaining Scot Pollard at Celtics Media Day] , September 28, 2007]

Controversy

On March 11, 2007, Pollard caused minor controversy when he looked into the camera during a 20-second timeout and audibly said, "Hey kids... do drugs." Pollard later apologized, saying his words were intended to be taken in jest. [ [http://www.nbc4.com/sports/11270190/detail.html Pollard: 'Hey Kids, Do Drugs' Was Bad Joke - Sports News Story - WRC | Washington ] ]

Hair styles

Pollard is known across the NBA for his peculiar hairstyles. His different hairstyles have reminded some of Dennis Rodman, who made his mark in the NBA during the 1990s by breaking league rebound records and wearing different hair dye colors.

Pollard's hair-dos have included a Mohawk, a single pony tail and a bald head. On January 2, 2006, he introduced a new (for him) hair style when he wore two pony tails during a Pacers home game against the Seattle SuperSonics.

While with the Sacramento Kings, Pollard received the nickname "Samurai Scot".

TV Host

Since signing with the Boston Celtics, Pollard has hosted "Planet Pollard", a segment of the show "Celtics Now", on Comcast SportsNet. He visits various locales and often gives tours and information about the place he is visiting.

On April 12, 2008, during a game against the Atlanta Hawks, Pollard filled in for color commentator Tom Heinsohn on CSN New England's game telecast. Pollard, who was out for the season after left ankle surgery, also has color analyst experience with the Sacramento Kings and WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs. [Marc J. Spears, [http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/04/12/hawks_control_their_own_fate/ Hawks control their own fate] , "The Boston Globe", April 12, 2008.]

Notes

External links

*NBA-profile