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By Rosemary Pollock
Pollard's Friendship with Vaughn Survives Differences
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- They are known as the NBA's Odd Couple. The
Jazz's Jacque Vaughn and the Kings' Scot Pollard are friends for
life. Thrown together as roommates at the University of Kansas in
1993, Little Jacque and Big Scot were strangers from two different
worlds. Vaughn was soft-spoken, thoughtful and liked to read and
write poetry. Pollard was free-spirited, fresh off 500 hours of
community service for his youthful misdeeds and trying to separate
himself from his LDS Church roots.
"We were complete opposites, just like we are today," Vaughn said.
"He's from Utah, I'm from L.A. His family is mostly Mormon, mine is a
different religion. We're different races, we're different people.
But we still came to coexist, understand each other and become best
friends."
The friendship has endured many things, but only because they had
their own rooms. "Mine was always neat and meticulous, whether you're
talking about the CD case or the rug or the bed," Vaughn said.
"Scot's room always looked like a tornado had been through it." "That
is just the way Scot is," said Jazz center Greg Ostertag. "Nobody
will ever change him."
In 1997 Pollard and Vaughn were first-round NBA draft picks. Vaughn
went to Utah as the 27th selection and Pollard to Detroit as the
19th. On January 22, 1999, just prior to the lockout season, the
Pistons traded Pollard and he was cut a month later. "We talked a lot
about not playing and, if we ever got the opportunity, how we'd
capitalize on it," Vaughn said.
The opportunity came when Pollard was signed as a free agent with the
Kings just five days after being waved by Atlanta. By the end of his
breakthrough season, Pollard was a sought after free agent and
decided to re-sign for $30.7 million over six years. "Scot was one we
had to have," said Sacramento's coach Rick Adelman. "He just keeps
getting better and better."
Son of Pearl Pollard, the legendary Utah high school and college
basketball star, Scot is the youngest of six children. The Pollards
are known for being devout members of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. Scot made a recruiting visit to Brigham Young
University, but claims that it was only a favor to his mother. He
eventually picked Kansas over Arizona.
[Editor's Note: Reports received by Mormon News indicate that Scot
Pollard does not wish to be considered an LDS Church member. - Ed.]
Source:
Free-spirited ex-Jayhawk has been a vital part of Sacramento's success
Salt Lake Tribune 11Mar01 S2
By Steve Luhm: Salt Lake Tribune
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