Darryl Watkins facts for kids

Darryl Finesse Watkins (born November 8, 1984) is an American who used to play professional basketball. He was known for being great at blocking shots. Darryl played as a center for many teams, including the BTN CLS Knights Indonesia in the Asean Basketball League. Before turning pro, he was a talented college basketball player for the Syracuse Orange.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Darryl Watkins grew up in Paterson, New Jersey. He played basketball at Paterson Catholic High School. He was a fantastic player throughout his high school years.

As a senior, he was chosen as a first-team all-state player. He was also picked for the all-county team four times. For his last two years, he earned all-area honors.

During his senior year, Darryl averaged about 16 points and 11 rebounds per game. He also had six blocks and three assists per game. Experts like ESPN.com ranked him as one of the top players in the country.

College Career at Syracuse

Darryl went on to play college basketball for the Syracuse Orange from 2003 to 2007. For his first two years, he was a backup player. This means he usually came off the bench to play.

Becoming a Star Player

In his junior year, Darryl became the main starting center for Syracuse. He was amazing at blocking shots, getting 99 blocks that season. He was ranked 16th in all of Division I for blocked shots per game. That year, he averaged 7.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

In his senior year, Darryl continued to play well. He averaged 8.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He was still a top shot-blocker, ranking seventh in Division I. He even tied a Syracuse record by blocking six shots in one game during the NIT.

College Records and Achievements

Darryl finished his college career with 67 starts in 106 games. He averaged 6.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He ended up fifth in Syracuse history for career blocks, with a total of 263. He blocked three or more shots in 48 different games.

Some of his best blocking games included 8 blocks against Cornell in 2005. He matched that with another 8-block game against Cincinnati in 2007.

Professional Basketball Journey

After college, Darryl Watkins began his professional basketball career in 2007. He played for many teams around the world.

Starting in the NBA

On June 29, 2007, Darryl signed a contract with the Sacramento Kings. He played for them in mini-camps and the Vegas summer league. He later signed a deal with the Kings and played in nine games for them.

In April 2012, Darryl also signed a short 10-day contract with the New Orleans Hornets. In his first game with them, he grabbed 13 rebounds.

Playing in the D-League and Overseas

After leaving the Kings, Darryl played in the NBA Development League (D-League). He played for the Los Angeles D-Fenders and the Iowa Energy. The D-League is where players can develop their skills and try to get back into the NBA.

Darryl also played for teams in other countries. He played for Tianjin Ronggang in China in 2008. He also played for Sagesse in Lebanon and Etha Engomis in Cyprus.

Back to the NBA and European Adventures

In 2012, Darryl was part of a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers. However, he was waived by them just a few days later.

He then returned to play in Europe. He signed with PBC Lukoil Academic in Bulgaria in 2012. The next year, he played for Spirou Charleroi in Belgium. He also played for Chalons-Reims and ASVEL in France.

Winning a Championship in Asia

In 2019, Darryl joined the CLS Knights in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL). He helped lead his team to win the ABL Championship in 2019. This was a big achievement in his career. He played until 2020.

Career Highlights

Darryl Watkins had a successful career with several notable achievements:

• He won the ASEAN Basketball League Championship in 2019.
• He was a Bulgarian League champion in 2013.
• He was chosen as a French League All-Star twice, in 2016 and 2017.

See also

In Spanish: Darryl Watkins para niños