Ray Scott is an American former basketball player and coach whose books examine race and sporting achievement. Raised in South Philadelphia, he played college basketball at the University of Portland before the Detroit Pistons selected him fourth in the 1961 NBA draft. His professional playing career included six years with Detroit and subsequent periods with other teams, building a reputation as a rebounder and perimeter shooter.
Scott later moved into coaching, succeeding Earl Lloyd as the Pistons’ head coach in 1972. In 1974 he became the first Black recipient of the NBA Coach of the Year award. His books with basketball writer Charley Rosen include the memoir The NBA in Black and White and the boxing history The Fight Game in Black and White, published in 2026.
Ray Scott Books
| Book | Year | Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| The NBA in Black and White | 2022 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| The Fight Game in Black and White | 2026 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Scott’s relationship with Lloyd connected two generations of Black basketball pioneers. Lloyd had recommended him to Detroit as a player and later supported his appointment as head coach. Scott also coached at Eastern Michigan University from 1976 to 1979. After leaving professional basketball, he worked in insurance, a transition discussed in accounts of his life beyond the sport.
His books consider athletic success alongside the racial restrictions faced by competitors. The memoir uses his own experiences, while the boxing history extends the discussion across a much longer period and several generations. In each case, the familiar results of sporting competition are placed beside the unequal conditions under which careers developed. Rosen’s collaboration links Scott’s recollections and interests with a writer whose own bibliography includes both basketball history and fiction.
Basketball Books
The NBA in Black and White: The Memoir of a Trailblazing NBA Player and Coach: Scott recalls life as a Black player and coach during a period of major change in professional basketball. Written with Charley Rosen, the memoir connects his development in Philadelphia and the NBA with experiences of prejudice, mentorship, and opportunity. Basketball achievements accompany reflections on the people who supported him and the difficulties that remained even as Black players became central to the league. Published in 2022.
The memoir includes Scott’s view of selection and recognition within the league, including his absence from All-Star teams despite his effectiveness as a player. His recollections of Lloyd describe the importance of an experienced ally during a demanding career. The later chapters extend beyond the court into work and family life, while his observations on the contemporary game consider changes such as the increased emphasis on three-point shooting.
Boxing Books
The Fight Game in Black and White: A History of Black Boxing: Scott and Charley Rosen examine Black boxing history through fighters who challenged opponents in the ring and racial barriers outside it. The account moves from early figures such as Peter Jackson toward Joe Louis and later champions. Sporting achievement is placed within changing social circumstances, showing how individual careers became part of wider struggles over recognition, opportunity, and the meaning of success. Published in 2026.
Peter Jackson’s career introduces a period in which Black achievement did not bring equal access to the most prominent championships. Joe Louis becomes an important turning point before the narrative moves through fighters including Floyd Patterson, Sonny Liston, Archie Moore, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, and Muhammad Ali. The book also considers Sugar Ray Leonard, extending its focus beyond heavyweight boxing and connecting different eras of public expectation.