Yes, those are emoji tattoos on Mike Scott.
This summer the Hawks forward started to collect body ink of the digital icons that have become so popular in the expression of ideas and emotions in electronic communication. He has several of the smiley faces and characters. There are more to come.
“I get a lot of backlash on it,” Scott said. “I get a lot of good and positive on it. It’s something I like to do. It’s different. No one else is doing it. That’s probably not for a good reason but it is original and something I like doing. I’m going to get all of them.”
The tattoos are just a glimpse into the personality of the second-year player. He is a frequent user of Twitter. There are almost daily pictures posted on Instagram ranging from video games, photos of him as a child and a regular Sock Saturday feature of the outlandish hosiery he dons on the weekend.
Scott has become a regular contributor to the team’s Website, even when he is not being interviewed to preview a game or upcoming event. He has photobombed so many of teammate interviews that the site has posted a montage of his greatest background appearances.
“I’m a social person,” Scott said. “I like to interact with the fans, good or bad. I’m happy-go-lucky. I’ve always been that way. I get it from my mom and dad. I like messing around and being funny. There is a time and place to be serious. I’m definitely serious with games but I like to have fun.”
Scott (6-foot-8, 237) has been one of the Hawks most-improved players this season, making a huge leap from his rookie season. The Hawks guaranteed his $788,872 contract this month and will have an offseason decision to make to keep him in the fold.
Over the past 15 games, Scott has averaged 11.2 points which includes 10 double-digit scoring games. In the 10 games since the season-ending injury to Al Horford, Scott has averaged 12.5 points and 4.3 rebounds. He has scored in double-digits in the past four games, matching a career-best set the final four games of last season.
“He has improved and grown in a lot of areas,” coach Mike Budenholzer said. “If there is one specific area where I think he has grown the most is his passing and his playmaking ability. He has really gotten a better understanding of the vision of the court and the spacing of the court and is making plays for his teammates. His ability to shoot is obviously his strength and the thing that has the potential to make him different. But when he can start seeing opportunities to improve his teammates and make plays for others then that really makes him better.”
Scott appeared in 40 games last season as a rookie, after being a second-round draft pick (No. 43 overall) out of Virginia. He averaged 4.6 points and 2.8 rebounds. Budenholzer said Scott’s development is a credit to his hard work this summer. It started following the end of last season when he worked with assistant coach Kenny Atkinson and strength and conditioning coach Jeff Watkinson. He continued through summer league, open gym and training camp. Scott has often been the first player off the bench. He has spelled Paul Millsap at power forward but has also been making the transition to play some small forward.
Despite his improvements, Scott still holds second-year status to some in the NBA.
During a game this month Scott was fouled by the Warriors’ Klay Thompson. Coach Mark Jackson scolded his own player for what he considered an unneccessary infraction. “C’mon, that’s Mike Scott!” Jackson bellowed.
“Well, he knew my name,” Scott said. “I must be doing something right.”
There is no question Scott has improved his offensive game, especially from 3-point range. Last season, he went 0 for 1 from behind the arc. This season he has gone 25 of 80. Scott must show continued improvement in his defensive game.
“Defensively he is making progress,” Budenholzer said. “There is still more to come and more to go. That is ultimately going to be his biggest thing and can he find a way to compete on the boards and be a rebounding positive. It’s a couple things. It’s being more physical, more ready, doing your work early, seeing plays, understanding coverages and rotations. He still has some pretty big steps there.”
And there is still work to do with those emoji tattoos.
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