BIO: Shannon Scott was born in Alpharetta, Georgia (USA) and attended Milton High School. There, he averaged 14 points, 4.3 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 2.7 steals as a senior helping the Eagles to a 29-3 record, including 12-0 in the conference. In his final three seasons with Milton, he helped squad go 82-15 with a state title and three championship game appearances. He was named a McDonald’s All American in 2011.

FAMILY: He is the son of Charlie and Trudy Scott and has two siblings, Simone and Shaun. His father played professional basketball in the ABA and NBA after a collegiate career at North Carolina.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Shannon Scott made his NBL debut with the Cairns Taipans at 29 years of age. He scored four points in his first game.

On August 12, 2022, Shannon Scott signed a one-year deal with the Cairns Taipans, joining the team under head coach Adam Forde. Forde had laid a strong foundation in his first season, and Cairns looked to build upon it with a revamped roster for NBL23. The Taipans retained key players such as leading scorer Tahjere McCall, Majok Deng, Bul Kuol, Mirko Djeric, and Most Improved Player Keanu Pinder. Major departures included Kouat Noi, who moved to Sydney, and veteran Nathan Jawai, who was not offered a new contract despite expressing interest in continuing his career.

To replenish their roster, the Taipans made several promising additions. Big man Sam Waardenburg, a sought-after prospect, signed a three-year deal after being guaranteed a starting role. Fellow college graduate Lat Mayen (Nebraska) and Jonah Antonio (Czech League) signed multi-year contracts, while Ben Ayre was elevated to the main roster after impressing as an injury replacement the previous season. Imports DJ Hogg and Shannon Scott replaced Scott Machado and Stephen Zimmerman, creating a younger, dynamic core. With the youngest roster in the league, the Taipans began the season as underdogs but quickly turned heads with surprising upsets.

Picked by many to finish at the bottom of the ladder, Cairns stunned the competition by starting the season 5-1. The Taipans opened with victories over grand finalists Tasmania (106-84), South East Melbourne (85-76), and reigning champions Sydney (83-78). Their only early loss came against Perth (76-105).

Cairns continued to impress with notable wins throughout the season, including two over Melbourne United. In the first encounter, the Taipans outscored Melbourne 11-1 in the final four minutes to secure an 81-77 victory, propelling them into second place on the ladder. Keanu Pinder shone in this game with 26 points and 10 rebounds, prompting coach Forde to declare him the best center in the league. The second matchup resulted in a dominant 25-point win, with Cairns leading by as much as 40 points in the final quarter.

Another standout game was their 94-85 win over South East Melbourne, achieved without MVP contender Pinder. The Taipans dominated the second period with a 22-5 run and six three-pointers, led by McCall’s 24 points on 7/8 shooting. Scott contributed 19 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds, while Hogg added 16 points, 7 assists, and 3 blocks.

In their final game of 2022, Cairns completed a remarkable comeback to defeat Adelaide (86-83) without Pinder, who was sidelined with an ankle injury. Scott led the charge, scoring 22 of the team’s last 25 points, including a clutch three-pointer with 31 seconds remaining to secure the lead. He finished with a season-high 31 points, 4 assists, and 4 rebounds, shooting 73% from the field and 5/7 from beyond the arc.

A defining trait of the Taipans this season was their ability to end opposition winning streaks. They snapped Brisbane’s three-game win streak in November (90-82) and ended Sydney’s record 17-game road winning streak with a thrilling overtime victory (94-88).

Despite losing Pinder to an ankle injury in December, Cairns defied expectations by going on a five-game winning streak. This run included victories over Adelaide (86-83), Illawarra (96-89), Brisbane (107-81), South East Melbourne (94-85), and New Zealand (85-83).

In the final month of the season, Cairns lost Pinder again, this time to an eye injury that ruled him out of the playoffs. Cairns and New Zealand battled for second place in the standings, with Cairns finishing the regular season with a win over Perth (84-71). However, New Zealand’s victories over Brisbane and Illawarra gave them the edge on points percentage, relegating Cairns to third place and a spot in the NBL’s inaugural play-in tournament.

In the play-in qualifier against Perth, Cairns triumphed 91-78 behind a record-setting performance from DJ Hogg, who scored 32 points, the most ever by a Taipan in a playoff game. This victory earned them a semi-final matchup against Sydney.

In game one of the semi-finals, Cairns were without McCall, who suffered a partially dislocated shoulder in the Seeding Qualifier. Sydney capitalized, with Xavier Cooks dominating with 27 points and 14 rebounds to secure a 95-87 win. Game two was filled with drama, including the ejection of Kings coach Chase Buford and injuries to Cairns’ Waardenburg and Noi. Amidst the chaos, Hogg (25 points and 8 rebounds) and McCall (20 points and 7 assists) delivered standout performances, leading Cairns to a 93-82 victory to force a deciding game three.

In the decider, Sydney’s Dejan Vasiljevic stepped up with three crucial three-pointers, scoring 15 points to lead the Kings to a 79-64 win. Cairns struggled offensively, posting their lowest score of the season. Ben Ayre led the Taipans with 20 points (4/8 from three) and 4 assists.

Keanu Pinder (16.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.3 steals) was named to the All-NBL Second Team and made history by winning the Most Improved Player award for a second consecutive season. Rookie Sam Waardenburg (11.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists) received the Next Generation Award, replacing the traditional Rookie of the Year honor.

Shannon Scott played in 31 games during the season, showcasing his offensive and defensive versatility. He averaged 10.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, contributing significantly to Cairns’ deep playoff run and remarkable season.

BRISBANE BULLETS
2023/24
The Brisbane Bullets signed Shannon Scott to a two-year deal to pair in the backcourt with Mitch Norton.

“From the outset we have wanted a high iq pass first guard that can create their own when needed, Shannon is that guy.” said Head Coach Justin Schueller upon signing Scott.

“He had a outstanding season last year and has shown he can impact the game at both ends of the floor.

Shannon Scott played two seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Cairns Taipans and the Brisbane Bullets. He averaged 8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 53 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (829 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.