I don’t exactly remember when I came up with my routine question of who is the GOAT in the neverending debate between Michael Jordan and Lebron James, but it has to be around 7 or 8 years ago. It is one of those questions where players either have a simple answer or in some instances go into great detail. If I had to estimate of which legend has the upper-hand, I would have to say it’s Jordan at 70-30. I mean usually the older generation take Jordan while the younger generation prefer to pick Lebron. But you would be surprised how many of the younger generation stick to Jordan. A usual answer for Jordan is in terms of winning and killer instinct, but when it comes to the all around player and skill level, players tend to side with Lebron. But what happens when a player doesn’t pick either? I never thought the day would come where a player would not mention one of these players. But it is extremely refreshing to hear some other names that are so important in the life of a player. One guy that totally surprised me with his answer was new Uni Basket Munster forward Nathan Scott (203-F-1999, college: EMU). He is a guy that went through a lot of adversary early on in his career in school and while getting a lot of support and guidance from coaches, he also had some other folk who had his back. ‘I have three GOATs. My dad, Lewis Scott. He went to Eastern Michigan. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be the player I am today. My mom, because she taught me how to grind and hustle for what I want. And my god mom, because she taught me how to beat the business side of basketball and showed me how to handle myself on and off the court’, warned Nathan Scott. Nathan Scott has provedThe GOAT isn’t always necessarily Michael Jordan or Lebron James.
Nathan Scott who lists Jeenathan Williams and Ryan Rollins as his 2 toughest players he faced in the NCAA was born in Naperville, Illinois and attended Neuqua Valley High School. He then embarked on a 5 year college career that took him to 3 schools. He began at Olney Central College (JUCO) staying 2 years there. In his first year he averaged 6.9ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.3apg, 1.0bpg, FGP: 48.7%, 3PT: 20.9%, FT: 76.8% and in his second season averaged 10.8ppg, 5.7rpg, 1.9apg, 1.3bpg, FGP: 55.7%, 3PT: 38.2%, FT: 76.9%. It is isn’t always easy to start at the bottom in JUCO, but he stuck it out and will never regreted it. ‘At first, I wanted to go home, because I was out in the country and that was my first ever culture shock, but the longer I stayed, practices got easier because my JUCO coaches cared so much about my development. If it wasn’t for Chase Brinkley and Mike Burris I wouldn’t have been recruited to play Division 1’, stated Nathan Scott. There are always people that have a huge influence on a player and it wasn’t any different for him with head coach Mike Burris. ‘He was very key in my development. He was the only coach out of all of the juco’s in my region to take a chance on me, and am forever grateful for that. He taught me to be tough, and gave me the confidence to believe I could make it to where I am today’, warned Nathan Scott. After 2 grind out years in JUCO, he was rewarded with an NCAA gig at Northern Illinois University (NCAA). On one hand, his time there wasn’t what he expected, but for him Covid actually was a positive occurrence for him being able to be there.’I feel like I made the decision to go to NIU based on my parents wanting me to go there, and I definitely should have done more research. If it wasn’t for covid, I would not be playing basketball right now because it gave me the opportunity to continue playing elsewhere’, said Nathan Scott. He played 41 games in total there and scored in double figures in 4 games including 18 points in his third game in a 81-69 victory over Coppin State. But all in all, he couldn’t take much positives from his 2 years there. ‘The only positives that I can take from NIU is the friends I made while I was there’, remembered Nathan Scott. He then played his senior year at Eastern Michigan University and finally everything came together for him. He played 9 minutes more than the previous season averaging 8.0ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.3apg, FGP: 59.5%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 80.4%. During the middle of the season he had a real consistent span playing great ball, but his team was losing. ‘We had a young team and we were affected by covid immediately, so we never had our team fully together. At times it was difficult because I knew we were a better team, but I had to keep performing down the road for myself’, commented Nathan Scott. He scored in double figures in 9 games and registered 1 double double. His best game was a 25/10 performance in a 85-75 win over Miami,Ohio. He will never forget getting this opportunity from head coach Stan Heath. ‘Stan Heath and the whole Eastern Michigan coaching staff changed my life forever. They gave me the last push for my college career and helped me each day after practice both on and off the court to help improve my game’, stressed Nathan Scott who remembers beating teammate Thomas Binelli in 1-1 battles.
Last season the Illinois native who lists Eugene German, Noah Farrakhan, Jalen Moore, Josiah Wallace, Brandon Norfleet and at Honorable Mention Kaleb Thorton and Bakary Camara as his 5 best teammates of all-time began his professional career with The View Copenhagen (Denmark-BasketLigaen) averaging 22.0ppg, 8.4rpg, 4.0apg, 1.4spg, 1.2bpg, 2FGP: 67.9%, 3FGP: 19.2%, FT: 85.2%. His first club was a short stay as he put up explosive scoring games, but in his last 3 games couldn’t hit the ocean going 2/18 from outside. ‘I had problems just adjusting to the ball. Even hearing those numbers shocks me still because I know I am a better shooter than that’, added Nathan Scott. He scored 20 points or more 4 times in his 5 games there including 25 against Holbaek and 23 points a piece against Amager and Vaerlose. He then joined the to Randers Cimbria Basketball (Denmark-BasketLigaen) averaging 6.8ppg, 5.2rpg, FGP: 52.3%, 3PT: 36.4%, FT: 69.7%. Here he had a massive basketball shock as his minutes were shaved down from 34 to 18. ‘It was a very tough adjustment for sure. Having the ball in my hand almost all of the game in Copenhagen to going to have players create opportunities for me to score was difficult at times and frustrating. This experience was very important to me because It showed me how overseas basketball is just a business plain and simple’. Stressed Nathan Scott. It was the first time away from home for him, so like with almost every American he suffered a culture shock not only hearing English every day. With the Randers he scored in double figures in 6 games including 15 points in the playoff series against Naestved.
The ex NCAA player who lists Dwayne Wade, Lebron James, Michael Jordan and Nikola Jokic on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore now begins a new challenge in Germany with the Uni Baskets Munster. During the summer he stayed in Michigan working out at Eastern Michigan University (NCAA) and playing at a Pro-Am every Sunday in Chicago. He doesn’t know much about Germany, but does know that the basketball is good and had a friend with Marcus Lewis play with the Fraport Skyliners last season. He also felt an immediate positive chemistry with head coach Gotz Rohdewald when they spoke on the phone. ‘Talking with Coach Rohdewald was very good. He assured me I will be a good fit for the team and was giving me really good advice about my game even before I signed for the club. His advice about my recent performances showed me how knowledgeable he is about the game of basketball, and his playing style sounds like it will fit very well with my game’, said Nathan Scott. Of course, he will have to prove himself right away as he comes from a lower level of competition in Denmark as he will play in the very competitive second division pro A. But always having to prove himself is something he has been doing his whole life. He has an incredible focus to be more than just a role player, but an impact player. ‘There’s no doubt in my mind that I can be an impact player right away. Just from having my coaches in my ear, fellow peers and my dad watching me play since I’ve been back, my confidence has been continuously growing and I’m ready to show that’, warned Nathan Scott.
So what kind of player will fans see in Germany with Nathan Scott? He is a 203cm forward that can score and rebound, but also do so much more. ‘For one, I am great in transition. I am a great offensive rebounder. I have really good vision on the court, and my pick and roll game leads to a lot of mismatches for both me and my teammates’, commented Nathan Scott. He definitely wants to be a better outside shooter than he was in Copenhagen. He made better strides with the Randers and wants to keep it going in Germany. ‘My three-point shooting is something that has stuck in my mind since the end of this past season. Back at home, my old teammates and coaches and even I consider myself a good shooter, but now it’s time to show it with percentages. Since I’ve been back in the US, I have been working on creating off the dribble, pick n pop, and attacking off the catch’, expressed Nathan Scott. But he doesn’t only want to shine on the offensive end, but also wants to do his part on the defensive end. ‘I think overall I am a good defender, but there is always room for improvement. I think working on becoming more aggressive on the defensive end will help improve my game and help my team overall’, added Nathan Scott. He wants a good start with the Uni Baskets and knows exactly on what he is focusing on most in the gym. ‘I have been working on every aspect of my game every day, but I have been focusing a lot on improving my 3-point shooting. I don’t leave the gym without putting up 7/10 from five different shots behind the three-point line’, warned Nathan Scott. It is always interesting to see if guys can make the next step in a higher league. He will surely raise eyebrows with his game and be a little different when the GOAT debate starts.
German Hoops 