Slick Watts facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 22, 1951 Rolling Fork, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | March 15, 2025 |
| 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 |
|
| NBA Draft | 1973 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 1973–1979 |
| Career history | |
| 1973–1978 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1978 | New Orleans Jazz |
| 1978–1979 | Houston Rockets |
| 1980 | Anchorage Northern Knights |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
Donald Earl "Slick" Watts was a talented American basketball player. He was born on July 22, 1951. Slick Watts made history in 1976 as the first NBA player to lead the league in both assists and steals in the same season.
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College Basketball Journey
Slick Watts started his college basketball career at Grand View Junior College. In 1970, he moved to Xavier University of Louisiana. There, he played for three years under coach Bob Hopkins. His teammate was Bruce Seals, who later became an ABA and NBA star.
In 1972, Watts and Seals helped the Gold Rush team win their first NAIA District 30 Men's Basketball championship. They beat Nicholls State University in a close game, 85–83. Later, they lost to Westmont in the semi-finals of the 1972 NAIA basketball tournament.
During his last college season, Watts led the Gold Rush to another NAIA District 30 Championship. They won against Dillard University with a score of 101–80. In the 1973 NAIA basketball tournament, Watts and his team surprised everyone. They defeated Sam Houston State University, 67–60, in the second round. At that time, the Bearkats were ranked number one in the country. They had not lost a game in two years! The Xavier Gold Rush eventually lost in the semi-finals to Maryland-Eastern Shore.
Slick Watts in the NBA
Even though Watts was not picked in the 1973 NBA draft, he got a chance. His former college coach, Bob Hopkins, was a cousin of Bill Russell. Russell was a famous player and coach for the Seattle SuperSonics. Russell gave Watts a tryout. He said Watts was "the best-looking guard in camp." Watts then signed with the SuperSonics.
He joined the team for the 1973–74 season as a reserve player. The next season, he played more often. On February 21, 1975, Watts achieved his first triple-double. This means he had double-digit numbers in three different stats: 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. He also added 4 steals in that game. Two days later, he set a career high with 9 steals. He also scored 13 points and had 14 assists in that game.
Watts became a starter for the 1975–76 season. That year, he was amazing! He led the entire NBA in total assists and assists per game. He also led the league in total steals and steals per game. Because of his great defense, he was named to the NBA All-Defense First-Team. He was the first player ever to lead the NBA in both assists and steals in the same season.
In 1976, Watts also received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. This award is given to players who do great work in their community. Watts continued to play well in the 1976–77 season. He averaged 8.0 assists and 2.7 steals per game.
At the start of the 1977–78 season, his old coach, Bob Hopkins, became the SuperSonics' new head coach. However, 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 retired from the league after the 1978–79 season because of an injury. He played for the Sonics for about four and a half years. He also played half a season with the New Orleans Jazz and one season with the Houston Rockets.
He got the nickname "Slick" because he was one of the first players to shave his head. This was very unusual at the time. He was also known for wearing his headband off-center. Even though he played for the SuperSonics for a short time, he was a very well-known sports figure in Seattle.
Life After Basketball
After his basketball career, Slick Watts became a physical education teacher. He taught at Dearborn Park Elementary and High Point Elementary schools. He also coached basketball at Franklin High School in Seattle. Watts also enjoyed playing tennis.
In 2001, Watts spent 22 days in the hospital with a condition called sarcoidosis. He lost almost 50 pounds, but his health improved. He taught physical education for nearly 20 years at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary in Seattle. He retired from teaching in 2017. In April 2021, Watts had a major stroke. He passed away on March 15, 2025, at the age of 73.
NBA Career Stats
| 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 Games
| 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 Games
| 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 | |
More to Explore
In Spanish: Slick Watts para niños
- List of National Basketball Association players with most steals in a game
