Robert Scott "Scotty" Robertson III (February 1, 1930 – August 18, 2011) was an American basketball coach. He was the first coach for the New Orleans Jazz (now the Utah Jazz), and he later coached the Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Pistons. He also has a stint as assistant coach for the Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, and the Miami Heat.[1]
Career
Robertson was born in Fort Smith in western Arkansas. As a sixth grader, he moved to Shreveport, Louisiana, where he played basketball and baseball for C. E. Byrd High School, from which he graduated in 1947. He attended the University of Texas at Austin, Texas, but graduated in 1951 from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston. He obtained a master's degree from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.[1] After his graduation from Louisiana Tech, he played baseball in the Chicago White Sox organization before returning to basketball as a coach.[2]
Death and legacy
At the time of his death of lung cancer at the age of eighty-one, Robertson was residing in Ruston, the location of Louisiana Tech, with his wife the former Betty Lou Lancaster.[3] He was survived by his daughters, Libby Robertson Power of Frisco, Texas, Claudia Robertson Fowler (husband Royal) of Franklin, Tennessee, and Vicki Robertson Page of Ruston. He had ten grandchildren.[1]
Services were held on August 21, 2011, at the Trinity United Methodist Church in Ruston. Interment followed at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Ruston.[1]
In 2012, the Robert "Scotty" Robertson Memorial Gymnasium was renovated and named in Robertson's honor.[4]
Head coaching record
High school
Robertson coached at C. E. Byrd High School for eight years, having accomplished a 163–91 record.
Collegiate
Statistics overview
| Season
|
Team
|
Overall
|
Conference
|
Standing
|
Postseason
|
| Louisiana Tech (Gulf States Conference) (1964–1971)
|
| 1964–65
|
Louisiana Tech
|
10–11 |
6–4 |
|
|
| 1965–66
|
Louisiana Tech
|
14–11 |
7–5 |
|
|
| 1966–67
|
Louisiana Tech
|
20–8 |
11–1 |
|
NCAA Regional Runner-Up
|
| 1967–68
|
Louisiana Tech
|
16–9 |
6–6 |
|
|
| 1968–69
|
Louisiana Tech
|
12–13 |
7–5 |
|
|
| 1969–70
|
Louisiana Tech
|
17–5 |
9–3 |
|
|
| 1970–71
|
Louisiana Tech
|
23–5 |
10–0 |
1st |
NCAA Regional Third Place
|
| Louisiana Tech (Southland Conference) (1971–1974)
|
| 1971–72
|
Louisiana Tech
|
25–1 |
8–0 |
1st |
|
| 1972–73
|
Louisiana Tech
|
20–6 |
10–2 |
T–1st |
|
| 1973–74
|
Louisiana Tech
|
8–13 |
0–0 |
– |
|
| Louisiana Tech:
|
165–82 |
74–26 |
|
| Total: |
165–82 |
|
|
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
Conference regular season champion
Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
Division regular season champion
Division regular season and conference tournament champion
Conference tournament champion
|
Professional record
Legend
| Regular season
|
G
|
Games coached
|
W
|
Games won
|
L
|
Games lost
|
W–L %
|
Win–loss %
|
| Playoffs
|
PG
|
Playoff games
|
PW
|
Playoff wins
|
PL
|
Playoff losses
|
PW–L %
|
Playoff win–loss %
|
| Team
|
Year
|
G
|
W
|
L
|
W–L%
|
Finish
|
PG
|
PW
|
PL
|
PW–L%
|
Result
|
| New Orleans
|
1974–75
|
15 |
1 |
14 |
.067 |
(fired) |
— |
— |
— |
—
|
—
|
| Chicago
|
1978–79
|
26 |
11 |
15 |
.423 |
5th in Midwest |
— |
— |
— |
—
|
Missed Playoffs
|
| Detroit
|
1980–81
|
82 |
21 |
61 |
.256 |
6th in Central |
— |
— |
— |
—
|
Missed Playoffs
|
| Detroit
|
1981–82
|
82 |
39 |
43 |
.476 |
3rd in Central |
— |
— |
— |
—
|
Missed Playoffs
|
| Detroit
|
1982–83
|
82 |
37 |
45 |
.451 |
3rd in Central |
— |
— |
— |
—
|
Missed Playoffs
|
| Career
|
|
287 |
109 |
178 |
.380 |
|
— |
— |
— |
—
|
