Cavaliers coach Byron Scott and Sixers coach Doug Collins, go way back to Arizona State days

Published: Saturday, November 06, 2010

PHILADELPHIA — In one of Philadelphia coach Doug Collins' coaching stops in his long career, he spent two seasons at Arizona State, starting in 1982.

There he met an impressionable sophomore guard on the Sun Devils, Byron Scott.

Collins' stellar NBA career had just ended. He took Scott under his wing.

"I learned a hell of a lot under him in the one year, talking about the NBA, giving me advice on how to be a professional," the Cavaliers coach said. "We kept that relationship going for a long, long time. He's one of the important mentors in my life. I have a lot of love for that man.

"I was in awe. I looked at him and said, ‘I wanted to be there one day.'"

Collins, 59, said Scott is very special to him.

"I've known Byron since he was an 18-year-old kid," he said. "I coached him in college. He's been aggressive since I've known him. His teams are aggressive."