Originally published Tuesday, December 6, 2005 at 12:00 AM
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SharePrep Flashback: Watts still lights it up despite fatigue syndrome
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Athlete: Donald Watts, Lake Washington, Class of 1995
Sport: Basketball
High-school rewind: Watts was the 1995 consensus state player of the year, averaging 22.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals. Despite his 30 points and 10 rebounds, the Kangaroos from Kirkland lost to league rival Sammamish 50-49 in the state semifinals.
After high school: A standout at Washington, Watts led the Pac-10 in three-point shooting in 1999, hitting 50 percent. As a senior, he led the Huskies to the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year, losing 59-58 to Miami (Ohio) in the first round. Watts scored 28, including 20 in the second half. He ranks fifth at UW with 310 career assists.
After athletics: After graduating from Washington with a degree in sociology, Watts played in the CBA, NDBL and for the NBA ambassadors in South America, the NBA's goodwill team. His pro career was cut short by chronic fatigue syndrome, an illness that prevented him from playing a full pro schedule.
Personal: Watts, 28, resides in Bellevue and has two children, Jaden and Isaiah.
Fast forward: Regular acupuncture therapy has helped Watts cope with his fatigue issues and has allowed him to continue playing basketball. Last summer, he participated in the pro-am league tournament and scored 45 points to in a championship-game victory against a team that included Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson and Will Conroy.
"I still have my game," Watts said. "I can still play ball, but only once a week."
He dedicates a large portion of his time to the Hoopaholics Academy, a youth basketball program founded by Watts and his father, Slick, a former Sonic.
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