Scot Pollard was just 16 when he lost his father, Pearl “Poison” Pollard. It was in the year 1991, and the elder Pollard was suffering from a heart issue and holding on to hope for a healthy heart. However, he passed away due to a heart attack while he was on the transplant list. This tragic passing had a profound impact on Pollard. “I was just thinking, ‘God, I’m going to grow up without a dad,’” he said in his documentary. But the former NBA player turned his grief and anger into a driving force that continuously propelled him toward success. Here is a brief look at the NBA star’s legacy.

How was Scot Pollard’s NBA journey? 

Thanks to his exceptional college career, Pollard’s game had already attracted attention. In 1997, he was selected as the 19th overall pick by the Detroit Pistons. Standing tall at 6 feet 11 inches, he quickly began to carve his way into the league. Across his 33 games for the Detroit Pistons, he averaged 2.7 points and 2.2 rebounds. Pollard had a brief stint playing for the Sacramento Kings, where he had the chance to start in the absence of Chris Webber more frequently.

While he spent the 2002–03 NBA season nursing his injuries, Pollard was back in action with the Indiana Pacers, where he averaged 3.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, playing only 12 minutes per game. After yet another short stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he went on to play for the Boston Celtics.

While his playing time was limited, Pollard and the Celtics went on to win a championship. Playing 11 seasons for 5 teams, he averaged 4.4 points and 4.6 rebounds across his 506 regular-season games before the former NBA player hung up his jersey.

But looking back at his career, the former NBA player recalls that it was his father’s passing that fueled his competitive spirit. He even started playing basketball because of his father. The new documentary by ESPN gives a glimpse into the former NBA player’s career and life.

A brief look at Scot Pollard’s College career

Pollard is much like his father. The retired NBA player is taller than his father. He also inherited athletic genes from his father, who also played basketball at the University of Utah. In the documentary, he fondly recalled his father being loved by everyone. The former NBA player went to the University of Kansas, where he found head coach Roy Williams. The head coach was a guide and mentor in his life. 

“I will never take the place of your dad. But if you give me a chance, I think you’ll be able to trust me like a second father,” Williams said in the documentary, recalling how he convinced the former NBA player to join his roster. 

He led KU to four back-to-back Sweet Sixteen and one Elite Eight appearances. Even to this day, he ranks sixth in KU history with 218 blocks and eighth in rebounding with 850. He was named Second-team All-Big Eight in 1996. The documentary highlights the former NBA player’s connection with his father and how he was motivated to play the sport, and also his journey battling his heart condition. 

Decades after his father’s death, he found himself in the same position. Back in 2024, he was diagnosed with end-stage heart failure. This left him waiting for a donor. But Pollard didn’t give up and fought with all he had and waited with patience. And he survived after receiving a heart from Casey Angell. Pollard’s story is now told and honored in the documentary titled ‘Heart of a Pearl.’