Mike Scott is a man of the people, or at least the people of Philadelphia. It’s not that often that a player comes to a new town and takes over in the way that Scott has. Scott was traded to the Sixers along with Tobias Harris and Boban Marjanovic in an apparent “win now” move. With Scott and Harris re-signing, this once short-term move will continue to keep talented shooters around Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.
As a player, Scott is the kind of useful piece most teams would love to have. His ability to stretch the floor, to fight for rebounds, and to play with both determination and intimidation sets Scott apart. And his shooting ability is absolutely underrated. Everybody knows he’s a stretch-four, but his numbers are usually overlooked. When his shot is hot, Scott can shoot with the best of the NB, firing an impressive .412% from three during his short stint with the Sixers.
Personally, what I like best about Scott is his jersey game. An NHL jersey enthusiast, he has a fresh jersey for every occasion. Scott has previously said that he owns over 170 NHL jerseys, which now must be closer to 200. He’s rocked a “Daddy Shark” custom San Jose Sharks jersey, a “Young Bul” Flyers jersey, and a Penguins jersey with the loving message “From Dwight.”
Let me be clear: This is the only acceptable Penguins jersey, and your name MUST be Michael Scott.
With a collection like this, you can imagine how big of an NHL fan Scott must be… except he’s not. Not a bit. By his own admission, Scott knows very few names of NHL players. So why does he wear them? According to Scott, he can’t dress, so he gets a pass. You want to tell him otherwise? Didn’t think so.
Like I said, this is my favorite thing about Scott, since it shows his personality and, for me, brings back memories of Philly native Rasheed Wallace.
As a personality, Scott is like very few others in the way he thrives off his fan’s energy. The way Scott interacts with the public is a dream for fans, especially when they’re as passionate as ours. Scott has a Twitter presence like few others. Per one bored fan’s Twitter request, Mike Scott crashed a wedding. Yeah, he just showed up to a random couple’s wedding and made a night they’d never forget even more unforgettable. Dancing, drinking, general partying, Scott brought a great time, as he tends to do.
Then there’s the Mike Scott Hive, a group of committed of individuals who reflect Scott’s passion. They properly appreciate a player who consistently fights as hard as Scott does. These fans are next-level showing love any way they can, whether tailgating or getting Hive tattoos. The Hive grows in numbers and strength each and every day. I can’t wait to see what they’ll look like during a full season of Sixers Mike Scott action.
There was one moment of fear this offseason, where it was unclear (at least to the public) if Scott would return. He made his intention to resign clear, but that doesn’t always guarantee a deal. Thankfully, General Manager Elton Brand listened; now we have a dangerous player with one of the best personalities in sports. With Scott signing a two-year deal worth 9.8 million dollars, we can continue to hope that he will be here for years to come.
Get ready for a new season of mic drops, sweet jersey game, and much more.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
