Background and career
Scott Allen Skiles Sr. (born March 5, 1964) is an American former professional basketball coach and player. A first-round draft pick from the Michigan State Spartans, Skiles played ten seasons as a point guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He holds the NBA record for assists in one game with 30, set with the Orlando Magic during a December game in the 1990–1991 season. After that season, he earned the NBA Most Improved Player Award. Skiles also played in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Washington Bullets and Philadelphia 76ers before he finished his playing career with PAOK Thessaloniki of Greece in 1997. He became a coach after his playing retirement and was the head coach for the Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic.
In 1982, Skiles led Plymouth High School to the Indiana State Championship, scoring 39 points to lead the Pilgrims past the Gary Roosevelt Panthers in double overtime. During that season, Skiles led the state in scoring, averaging 29.3 points per game.
Skiles set several school records during his career there, including most points in a home game (53) and most points in an away game (56). He left Plymouth as the school's all-time career scoring leader (1,788 points), a record that would stand until 2005. Skiles had his number 22 jersey retired at Plymouth High School in 1992. Skiles attended Michigan State University, where in his senior season he was a First Team All-America selection as well as the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year and scoring champion. He left MSU as its all-time career scoring leader (2,145 points) and still holds the Spartans' record for most points scored in a season (850). While in East Lansing, he was arrested and charged with felony possession of cocaine and misdemeanor possession of marijuana. The cocaine charge was dropped, and Skiles pleaded guilty to the marijuana possession. He was arrested and charged with drunken driving a year later and served 15 days in jail. During his senior season, Skiles committed a parole violation on an earlier marijuana conviction, and served a brief jail sentence.
The Milwaukee Bucks made Skiles the 22nd selection of the 1986 NBA draft. In ten seasons, he played for the Bucks (1986–87), Indiana Pacers (1987–89), Orlando Magic (1989–94), Washington Bullets (1994–95), and Philadelphia 76ers (1995–96).
Skiles made his NBA debut with the Bucks on November 11, 1986, against the Indiana Pacers, recording 2 rebounds and 5 assists in the 102–94 win. Skiles was seldom used his rookie season with the Bucks, averaging 3.8 points and 3.5 assists in just 13 games off the bench.
On June 21, 1987, Skiles was traded by the Bucks to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for a 1989 2nd-round pick (which would later be used to select Gary Leonard). With the Pacers in 1987–88, Skiles averaged even fewer minutes but played in more games, increasing his scoring marginally to 4.4 points and posting the same 3.5 assists per game in 50 games, just two of them starts. He played in 80 games in 1988–89, starting just 13 and averaging 6.8 points and 4.9 assists in slightly under 20 minutes a game.
