Darryl Watkins facts for kids

Darryl Finesse Watkins (born November 8, 1984) is an American former professional basketball player. He played as a center, known for blocking shots. Darryl played for many teams around the world, including the BTN CLS Knights Indonesia. He also played college basketball for the Syracuse Orange.

High School Basketball Career

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

In his senior year, Darryl averaged about 16 points and 11 rebounds per game. He also had six blocks and three assists. Experts rated him highly across the country. ESPN.com ranked him 35th nationally. New Jersey Hoops placed him 4th in New Jersey.

College Basketball Journey

Darryl Watkins played for the Syracuse team. For his first two years, he was a backup player. But in his junior year, he became the team's main center.

Blocking Shots at Syracuse

Darryl was amazing at blocking shots. In his junior year, he blocked 99 shots. This made him one of the best shot-blockers in college basketball. He averaged 2.8 blocks per game. He also scored 7.1 points and grabbed 7.3 rebounds per game.

In his senior year, Darryl continued to play well. He averaged 8.1 points and 7.5 rebounds. He missed a few games due to a nose injury. Still, he played in 33 games, starting 32 of them. He was seventh in the country for blocked shots, with 3.4 per game. In a tournament called the NIT, he blocked six shots in one game. This tied a Syracuse record.

Darryl wore jersey number 13 for the Syracuse Orange.

Darryl's College Achievements

Darryl Watkins played 106 games for Syracuse, starting 67 of them. He averaged 6.0 points and 5.8 rebounds. He finished his college career with 263 blocks. This placed him fifth all-time in blocks for Syracuse.

He blocked three or more shots in 48 different games. Some of his best games include blocking 8 shots against Cornell in 2005. He did it again with 8 blocks against Cincinnati in 2007.

Professional Basketball Career

After college, Darryl Watkins began his professional career. He played for many teams in different leagues.

Starting with the Sacramento Kings

In June 2007, Darryl signed with the Sacramento Kings. He played in their summer league games. There, he averaged 3.8 points and 3.4 rebounds. He also had 0.8 blocks per game. In August 2007, he officially signed a deal with the Kings. He played in nine games for them.

Playing in the NBA Development League

In December 2007, the Kings released Darryl. He then played in the NBA Development League. He split his time between the Los Angeles D-Fenders and the Iowa Energy.

Exploring Other NBA Teams

Darryl also played for the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2008 Summer League. Later, he signed a two-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs. However, he was released by the Spurs in October 2008.

Playing Overseas: China and Lebanon

When no NBA team signed him, Darryl went to China. He joined Tianjin Ronggang in the CBA in November 2008.

In 2009, he almost signed with a team in Serbia. But he decided to stay in the United States after his daughter was born. He tried out for the Cleveland Cavaliers but was released. In 2010, he played for the Indiana Pacers in a summer league. Then, he signed with Sagesse in Lebanon.

Return to the NBA and Europe

In 2011, Darryl played for Etha Engomis in Cyprus. In April 2012, the New Orleans Hornets signed him. In his first game with the Hornets, he grabbed 13 rebounds.

In July 2012, Darryl was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. But he was released just five days later. After that, he returned to Europe. He signed with PBC Lukoil Academic in Bulgaria in 2012. In 2013, he joined Spirou Charleroi in Belgium.

In 2014, he signed with Chalons-Reims in France. Then, in 2015, he joined ASVEL Basket, another French team.

Winning a Championship in Asia

On January 4, 2019, Darryl Watkins signed with the CLS Knights in the ASEAN Basketball League. He became their starting center. With the CLS Knights, Darryl helped his team win the ASEAN Basketball League championship in 2019. This was a big achievement in his career.

Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season Stats

See also

In Spanish: Darryl Watkins para niños