Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, C.J. Watson discovered his love for the game of basketball at a very young age. Growing up, C.J. remembers training continuously to improve his skills on the court in hopes of playing in the NBA when he was older. In 2008, those dreams came true. Not only did he sign with the Golden State Warriors and officially begin his career in the league, but he also unlocked the door to what would become an amazing journey in the NBA—one that would give him the opportunity to play for the Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers, and Orlando Magic. After 10 seasons in the league, C.J. decided to embark on the next chapter of his life. A chapter fueled by his passion for mentoring the youth and giving back to his community. The rest is history! In addition to implementing a series of community initiatives through his philanthropic work with the Quiet Storm Foundation—a nonprofit organization founded by him and his family—, C.J. has also written and published three children's books that inspire young kids to chase their dreams, work hard, and uplift one another. Truly inspiring!
How was that transition from college into the league like? What were some of the challenges that you faced early on?
I took an unconventional route. I went undrafted out of college, so I went overseas for my first year. It was different being in a (new) country by myself, learning a new language, and trying to adapt to a different culture that I wasn’t used to. It helped me grow as a person and as a young man (though). When I got to the NBA, (the challenges) were more so learning about the business and the speed of the game. I think everything after that comes to you if you put your mind to it and work into it.
You mentioned that you went undrafted out of college. Throughout that time, how did you remain motivated to continue pushing through that adversity?
Just knowing what the end goal was (kept me going). There were definitely a couple of times where I wanted to quit and give up. I thought, “Hey, maybe this isn’t for me.” But I just had a great support system around me—my parents, my family. They wouldn’t let me quit. They knew how hard I had worked, and they knew that the end goal that I wanted was the NBA. Throughout that process, I learned that there are going to be a lot of ups and downs and things are not (always) going to go your way. As long as you keep that faith, keep believing in yourself, and keep believing in the work that you have put in (though), you can be successful.
What are some things that you personally learned about yourself as you continued to work through those challenges?
I learned how to persevere and how to be resilient. I learned that when things don’t go your way, not to point the blame on anyone else, but to look in the mirror and make better adjustments to yourself. It is not going to be easy—there are definitely a lot of ups and downs—, but if you persevere through all of those challenges you can be successful at the end.
Take us through that moment of signing with the Golden State Warriors and officially starting your NBA career. What was that moment like for you?
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