Scott May Bio
Scott Glenn May is an American former professional basketball player. Born on March 19, 1954, in Sandusky, Ohio, he built his reputation as a high-scoring forward at Indiana University under Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight. He later spent parts of eight seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) before extending his playing career overseas. May is remembered as one of the most accomplished college players of the 1970s and as the patriarch of a family with deep ties to the sport.
Across his career, May earned national player of the year honors, an Olympic gold medal, and an NCAA championship. His two sons, Scott May Jr. and Sean May, both played college basketball, with Sean helping the University of North Carolina win the 2005 national title. Together, Scott and Sean became one of only a handful of father-and-son pairings in NCAA history to each own a championship ring.
Early Life and Background
Scott Glenn May was born on March 19, 1954, in Sandusky, Ohio, a working-class city along the shores of Lake Erie. He grew up in a community where basketball was a year-round passion, and he developed his game on local courts from an early age. May attended Sandusky High School, where his size, skill, and court awareness quickly set him apart from his peers.
By the time he finished high school, May stood 6 feet 7 inches tall and had the kind of versatile scoring touch that college recruiters were eager to develop. His performance in Ohio earned him attention from several major programs, but it was Indiana University and its new head coach, Bob Knight, who ultimately secured his commitment. May arrived in Bloomington as one of the most highly regarded recruits in the country.
Path to Basketball
Indiana University offered May the chance to play for Knight, who had taken over the Hoosiers program in 1971 and was already instilling a demanding, defense-first system. May joined a young roster that included future NBA players Kent Benson, Quinn Buckner, and Steve Green. The group quickly coalesced around Knight’s standards and began building the foundation for what would become one of the greatest seasons in college basketball history.
May’s role expanded each year. He became a reliable scorer and rebounder, and his competitiveness helped set the tone for teammates. By his junior season, he was a consensus first-team All-American, and in his senior year he was recognized as the best player in college basketball by nearly every major award.
Scott May Career
Early Career (1973–1975)
May played for the Indiana Hoosiers from 1973 to 1976, and his first two seasons laid the groundwork for the team’s rise. The 1973–74 campaign gave him valuable experience as the Hoosiers adjusted to Knight’s expectations and built team chemistry. By the 1974–75 season, May was a central figure on a squad that dominated the Big Ten Conference.
Indiana swept the Big Ten that year by an average margin of 22.8 points per game and won 37 consecutive conference games across two seasons. May broke his left arm late in the year, limiting him to about seven minutes in the 1975 NCAA tournament, and top-ranked Indiana fell 92–90 to Kentucky in the Mideast Regional final. Despite the disappointment, four Hoosiers — May, Steve Green, Kent Benson, and Quinn Buckner — earned spots on the All-Big Ten team.
NCAA Championship Breakthrough (1975–1976)
The 1975–76 Indiana Hoosiers delivered one of the most celebrated seasons in college basketball history. The team went undefeated across the entire regular season and the 1976 NCAA tournament, beating Michigan 86–68 in the national championship game. Indiana remains the last men’s basketball program to finish a full season without a loss.
May was the engine of that run. He was the team’s leading scorer, a dependable clutch performer, and a strong defensive presence and rebounder. For his play, he was named the 1976 NCAA men’s basketball National Player of the Year. He also earned the Adolph Rupp Trophy, the Naismith College Player of the Year award, and the Associated Press, United Press International, National Association of Basketball Coaches, Sporting News, and Helms Foundation Player of the Year honors. He was a consensus first-team All-American in both 1975 and 1976.
That summer, May represented the United States at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, winning a gold medal in men’s basketball. He graduated from Indiana in the standard four years with a degree in education.
NBA and International Era (1976–1990)
The Chicago Bulls selected May with the second overall pick in the 1976 NBA draft. As a rookie, he averaged 14.2 points per game and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. He showed the same scoring ability and toughness that had marked his college career.
Injuries gradually cut into his playing time, and he appeared in seven NBA seasons in total. Across his time in the league, he scored 3,690 points and pulled down 1,450 rebounds. After his NBA stint, May extended his career in Italy, playing roughly seven more years for Brescia, Torino, Rome, and Livorno in the Italian league.
Notable Events and Milestones
May’s signature achievement remains the unbeaten 1975–76 NCAA championship run, the last perfect season in men’s college basketball. He is also one of only a few American players to combine an NCAA title, an Olympic gold medal, and national player of the year honors in the same competitive cycle.
Scott May Career Wins
May’s competitive résumé includes team championships and the most prestigious individual awards in American basketball. The crown jewel was the 1976 NCAA title with an undefeated Indiana squad, followed that summer by a gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
NCAA and Olympic Highlights
May was named the 1976 NCAA men’s basketball National Player of the Year after leading Indiana to a perfect season. He added consensus first-team All-American honors in both 1975 and 1976, and he helped the U.S. men’s basketball team win gold at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.
Other Wins and Achievements
As a professional, May earned a place on the 1977 NBA All-Rookie First Team with the Chicago Bulls. His extended career in Italy added several seasons of high-level play and gave him a longer professional runway than many of his college peers enjoyed.
Scott May Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Basketball runs deep in the May family. May raised two sons, Scott May Jr. and Sean May, who both followed him into the sport. Scott May Jr. played for Indiana and was part of the Hoosiers team that reached the 2002 NCAA championship game. Sean May starred at the University of North Carolina and helped the Tar Heels win the 2005 NCAA title, before playing for the Sacramento Kings and the Charlotte Bobcats in the NBA.
Scott and Sean May are one of only four father-son pairings in NCAA Division I men’s basketball history to each win a national championship. The connection has cemented the May name as one of the more recognized basketball families of the modern era.
Personal Life
After his playing days ended, May settled in the Bloomington, Indiana, area. He is known locally as one of the largest apartment owners in Bloomington, a business that employs several hundred people. His ties to the community remain strong, and he is often mentioned in connection with Indiana basketball alumni events and reunions.