University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Earl Watson to Be Inducted Into Kansas Sports Hall of Fame
April 08, 2026 | Men's Basketball
Former UCLA men's basketball standout guard Earl Watson has been selected for induction into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame this summer.
Watson, a four-year starter at UCLA from 1997-2001, has been chosen as one of 32 individuals to enter the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame (KSHOF) in 2026. The 32 selections will be honored at one of three events in Kansas this summer. Watson's induction ceremony is scheduled for August 16, 2026, in the Huhtamaki Shield Club at Sporting Park in Kansas City.
As a standout competing at Kansas City Washington High School, Watson averaged 23.4 points, 8.3 assists and 14 rebounds per game during his high school senior season (1996-97). He led his high school team to its first league title in Kansas City since 1975. In a key victory over Schlagle High School, he registered 23 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists.
Following his high school career in Kansas City, Watson enrolled as a freshman at UCLA under head coach Steve Lavin in 1997. Through four years at UCLA, he totaled 1,449 points and 607 assists. He currently ranks No. 26 on UCLA's all-time scoring list and No. 5 on the school's career assists list.
Watson averaged a career-best 14.7 points per game as a senior at UCLA in 2000-01, shooting 49.3 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from 3-point distance. He registered at least 5.0 assists per game as a junior (5.9 apg) and senior (5.2 apg).
In addition, Watson established UCLA's career steals record (235) over his four-year career and tallied a UCLA single-game best 16 assists in an NCAA Tournament win over Maryland during his junior season (March 18, 2000). In four seasons at UCLA, he helped the Bruins advance to the NCAA Tournament each season with appearances in the Sweet 16 in 1998, 2000 and 2001.
Watson enjoyed a strong 13-year NBA career after he was selected in the 2001 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics. He played in 878 career games with seven different NBA organizations. Watson averaged 6.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game through his NBA career.
Following his NBA playing career, he worked as a coach in the NBA G-League and was the head coach of the Phoenix Suns in 2016 and 2017. He has also served as a television analyst with the Pac-12 Network, NBA TV and the Big Ten Network.
Watson joins former UCLA basketball player Fred Slaughter in the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. Slaughter played at UCLA in the early 1960s and was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame posthumously in 2019 (he passed away in Oct. 2016). Former UCLA women's basketball head coach Billie Moore was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.
