Slick Watts facts for kids
Watts c. 1977
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 22, 1951 Rolling Fork, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | March 15, 2025 (aged 73) |
| High school | Henry Weather (Rolling Fork, Mississippi) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Listed weight | 175 lb (79 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1973 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 1973–1981 |
| Career history | |
| 1973–1978 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1978 | New Orleans Jazz |
| 1978–1979 | Houston Rockets |
| 1980–1981 | Anchorage Northern Knights |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 3,901 (8.9 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,398 (3.2 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,678 (6.1 apg) |
Donald Earl "Slick" Watts (born July 22, 1951) was a professional basketball player from the United States. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Slick Watts became famous in 1976 while playing for the Seattle SuperSonics. He was the first player ever to lead the NBA in both assists and steals in the same season. Even after he stopped playing, he remained a very popular figure among Sonics fans. Watts passed away on March 15, 2025.
Early Life and Unique Look
Watts was born on July 22, 1951, in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. His dad was a mechanic, and his mom was a teacher. When Watts was 13, he hurt his head playing football. This injury made his hair grow in strange spots. Because of this, he decided to shave his head completely. This was very unusual for basketball players at the time. People started calling him "Slick" because of his shaved head. He was also known for wearing his headband a bit off-center.
College Basketball Journey
Watts first went to Grand View Junior College. In 1970, he moved to Xavier University of Louisiana. There, he played college basketball for three years. His coach was Bob Hopkins, and he played alongside Bruce Seals, who also later joined the NBA.
During the 1971–72 season, Watts and Seals helped their team, the Gold Rush, win their first NAIA District 30 Men's Basketball championship. They won against Nicholls State with a score of 85–83. They later lost in the semi-finals of the 1972 NAIA basketball tournament.
In his last season, Watts led the Gold Rush to win their second NAIA District 30 Championship. They beat Dillard 101–80. In the 1973 NAIA basketball tournament, Watts and his team surprised everyone. They beat Sam Houston State 67–60 in the second round. At that time, Sam Houston State was ranked number one and had not lost a game in two years. Xavier eventually lost in the semi-finals.
Playing in the NBA
Watts was not picked in the main 1973 NBA draft. However, the Memphis Tams chose him in a special ABA draft. Watts' college coach, Bob Hopkins, was related to NBA legend Bill Russell. Russell was the coach and general manager for the Seattle SuperSonics at the time. Russell gave Watts a chance to try out and signed him as a new player.
Rookie Season and First Playoff Trip
Even though Watts started as a player who came off the bench, he led the Sonics in assists during his first year (1973–74). The next season, he played more, and Watts helped the team reach the playoffs for the very first time. On February 21, 1975, Watts achieved his first "triple-double". This means he got double-digit numbers in three different stats: 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. He also added four steals in that game. Just two days later, he set a personal record with nine steals in one game.
Leading the League and Community Work
After signing a new contract, Watts became a starter for the 1975–76 season. He had an amazing year! He led the entire NBA in total assists, assists per game, total steals, and steals per game. He was also named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. He was the very first player to lead the NBA in both assists and steals in the same season.
In 1976, Watts was incredibly popular. His energetic way of playing, his unique look, and how well he connected with fans made him a favorite. He also received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for his great work helping the community. Watts continued to play well in the 1976–77 season, averaging 8.0 assists and 2.7 steals per game.
Changes and Later Career
At the start of the 1977–78 season, Watts' old college coach, Bob Hopkins, became the Sonics' new head coach. But Hopkins was fired after the team had a tough start. The new coach, Lenny Wilkens, changed the lineup. He replaced Watts with Dennis Johnson. Watts was later traded to the New Orleans Jazz during that season.
Watts did not play in the NBA after the 1978–79 season. He played about four and a half years with the Sonics, half a season with the New Orleans Jazz, and one season with the Houston Rockets. In December 1980, Watts joined a team called the Anchorage Northern Knights in a league called the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). He hoped to make it back to the NBA, but he left the team in January 1981.
NBA Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973–74 | Seattle | 62 | – | 23.0 | .388 | – | .645 | 2.9 | 5.7 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 8.0 |
| 1974–75 | Seattle | 82 | – | 25.1 | .421 | – | .608 | 3.2 | 6.1 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 6.8 |
| 1975–76 | Seattle | 82 | – | 33.9 | .427 | – | .578 | 4.5 | 8.1* | 3.2* | 0.2 | 13.0 |
| 1976–77 | Seattle | 79 | – | 33.3 | .422 | – | .587 | 3.9 | 8.0 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 13.0 |
| 1977–78 | Seattle | 32 | – | 25.3 | .404 | – | .566 | 2.5 | 4.2 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 7.8 |
| 1977–78 | New Orleans | 39 | – | 19.9 | .381 | – | .602 | 2.5 | 4.1 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 7.2 |
| 1978–79 | Houston | 61 | – | 17.1 | .405 | – | .612 | 1.7 | 4.0 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 3.7 |
| Career | 437 | – | 26.3 | .413 | – | .597 | 3.2 | 6.1 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 8.9 | |
Playoff Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Seattle | 9 | – | 31.3 | .462 | – | .538 | 3.7 | 7.1 | 3.0 | 0.4 | 11.1 |
| 1976 | Seattle | 6 | – | 32.8 | .435 | – | .478 | 3.0 | 8.2 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 11.8 |
| 1979 | Houston | 2 | – | 21.5 | .400 | – | .667 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 7.0 |
| Career | 17 | – | 30.7 | .446 | – | .519 | 3.4 | 7.1 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 10.9 | |
Life After Basketball
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After his basketball career, Watts became a physical education teacher. He taught at Dearborn Park Elementary School and High Point Elementary School. He also coached basketball at Franklin High School in Seattle. He even started playing tennis.
Watts taught physical education for almost 20 years at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary in Seattle. He retired from teaching in 2017.
Even though he played for the SuperSonics for a relatively short time, Watts remained a huge fan favorite. He was chosen for the Sonics' 40th anniversary team before the team moved to Oklahoma City. A Seattle rap group called Blue Scholars even named a song after him. Watts was often seen at Seattle sports events, including SuperSonics and Seattle Storm games. The Storm organization said, "Slick was a champion for the Storm and a beloved member of the Seattle community." The Seattle Times called him "an ambassador of Seattle basketball."
Family and Health
Watts' two sons both played college basketball. Tony played at Mississippi State, and Donald played at the University of Washington. His grandson, Isaiah, currently plays at Washington State. His granddaughter, Jadyn, plays at Western Washington.
Watts had a health condition called sarcoidosis, which caused inflammation in his lungs. In 2001, he spent 22 days in the hospital because of it. He lost a lot of weight before he got better. In April 2021, just before his 70th birthday, Watts had a major stroke. He passed away on March 15, 2025, at the age of 73.
See also
In Spanish: Slick Watts para niños
- List of NBA single-game steals leaders
- List of NBA single-season steals per game leaders
