Scott May Biography
Scott May is an American basketball player from Sandusky, Ohio. After starring as a three-sport athlete in high school, he attended Indiana University and became one of the best college basketball players in the nation. In 1975-76, May was the leader of the Indiana undefeated team that is widely considered one of the best college basketball teams in history. In 1976, he was named the NCAA National Player of the Year. After college, he was drafted second overall in the 1976 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls and played several seasons in the NBA and overseas.
- Name: Scott Glenn May
- Position: Forward
- Nationality: USA
- Birthday: March 19, 1954
- Age: 70 years old
- Hometown: Sandusky, Ohio
- High School: Sandusky High School
- Height: 6’7″ (2.01 m)
- Weight: 215 lb (98 kg)
- Seasons: 4 (1972-1973, 1973-1974, 1974-1975, 1975-1976)
- Jersey: #17 / #42 / #7 / #24
- NBA Draft: 1976 / Round 1 / 2nd overall (Chicago Bulls)
- Professional Career:
- Chicago Bulls (1976-1981)
- Milwaukee Bucks (1981-1982)
- Detroit Pistons (1982)
- Cidneo Brescia (1983)
- Berloni Torino (1983-1986)
- Virtus Banco di Roma (1986)
- Enichem Livorno (1986-1988)
Scott May’s High School Career
Scott May was a three-sport high school standout in football, track, and basketball. In basketball, he was an All Ohio player during his junior and senior seasons, 1971 and 1972. As a senior, he averaged 25 points per game and was named a high school All-American.
Scott May’s Indiana University Career
May was unable to play his freshman season because he was ruled academically ineligible.
As a sophomore, May made an immediate impact on the Hoosiers. He averaged 23.7 minutes per game and attempted around 11 shots per game. He averaged 12.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 49.2% overall from the field. May was IU’s second-leading scorer behind Steve Green.
Indiana finished 23-5 overall and 12-2 in the Big Ten, tying Michigan for first-place in the conference. At the time, the NCAA Tournament only allowed conference champions to participate. Therefore, Indiana and Michigan squared off for a third time to determine who would represent the conference in the tournament. Michigan ended up winning 75-67. Because they could not participate in the NCAA Tournament, the Hoosiers made their only appearance in the Collegiate Commissioners Association Tournament. Indiana won the tournament, defeating USC.
In the 1974-75 season, May continued to be a strong offensive force for Indiana. He saw an increase in all statistical categories, posting 16.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 51% from the field.
The Hoosiers had a plethora of scoring with four players (including May) averaging 11 or more points per game. The team even had three players (May, Scott Green, and Kent Benson) who all dropped 15 or more points per game. Indiana finished with a record of 31-1 and went undefeated in conference play but eventually lost to Kentucky in the regional finals of the NCAA Tournament. May broke his arm near the end of the season and only played sparingly to close the year. Most experts believe Indiana would have been a tournament favorite if he was completely healthy.
During his senior season, May led Indiana in scoring and posted the best numbers of his career, averaging 23.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 52.7% shooting overall. He played 33 minutes per game and attempted 18.3 shots per game.
The 1975-76 Indiana team is known as one of the best in the history of college basketball. The Hoosiers finished the season as national champions with a record of 32-0 and are the last team in college basketball to have an undefeated season. If this wasn’t impressive enough, the team also was part of several historical milestones along the way.
