New Sixers backup power forward Mike Scott: ‘I was a big fan of AI’
Scott grew up about 30 miles from Allen Iverson's hometown.
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Mike Scott has something in common with one of the all-time great 76ers, which has led the Sixers’ new backup power forward to have a lot in common with his new city’s fans.
They were both huge fans of Hall of Famer Allen Iverson, who grew up not too far from Scott on the Virginia Peninsula. Iverson, 43, is from Hampton, Va. Scott’s hometown of Chesapeake, Va. is around 30 miles away.
Like Iverson and Sixers shooting guard JJ Redick, Scott, 30, came out of renowned Virginia program Boo Williams AAU. Iverson, Hall of Famer Alonzo Mourning, and J.R. Reid are perhaps the most notable alumni of the organization based in southeast Virginia.
“He did so much for the Tidewater area, 757 area,” Scott said. “I grew up watching him a lot. I know this is like his second home. So I was a big fan of AI.”
Now that he’s with the Sixers, part of Wednesday’s Tobias Harris trade with the Los Angeles Clippers, Scott looks to duplicate some of the non-statistical things that made Iverson a fan favorite here.
“I want to come here and have that same passion he had,” he said. “You know, win games, be physical, be gritty, make shots. I want to play for a championship.”
The 6-foot-8, 235-pounder is known for his clutch three-point shooting. A seven-year veteran, he will take career averages of 7.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 35.7 percent three-point shooting into Friday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets at the Wells Fargo Center. His best campaign came last season with the Washington Wizards, when he averaged 8.8 points and shot a career-best 40.5 percent on threes.