Weber State University Athletics
Hall of Fame - Jimmie Watts
3/10/2015 7:38:00 PM | Wildcat Club
Jimmie Watts
Men's Basketball (1972-76)
Inducted February 2003
Jimmie Watts was a three-time Al-l-Big Sky Conference selection for the Wildcats, leading Weber State to great heights in 1974, '75 and '76. Watts was named the Big Sky Tournament MVP in 1976, and later was named to the Big Sky Conference's First Team Silver Anniversary squad.
Watts, a 6-foot-7 swingman, made an impact with the WSU program from his first season in Ogden. He was the first freshman to start for a varsity squad in Utah history and was the school's first four-year basketball letterman. The Menlo Park, California, native was the first basketball player in the state of Utah to play in 100 consecutive basketball games.
Watts' records are many. He owns conference records for most minutes in a tournament game (50 vs. Boise State, 1976), rebounds in a tournament game (18 vs. Northern Arizona, 1976), tournament rebounding average (15, 1976), and was the league leader in shooting percentage (.552) in 1974. Watts also earned MVP honors at the 1976 Evansville Tournament.
At Weber State, Watts – who was dubbed Mr. Motion by his coaches -- finished his career as the team MVP following his senior season, and was the second-leading rebounder and fourth-leading scorer all-time.
Following the season, Watts was selected to try out for the United States Olympic Basketball Team. He was later tabbed by the Deseret News as one of Utah's all-time great basketball players.
Jimmie played professionally for the Utah Pros team in 1977, then later played for 2½ years in South America.
Watts was also a valuable member of the Weber State track and field squad, competing in the long jump and triple jump.
After WSU, Watts earned a masters' degree in social work at the University of Utah. He worked for many years in administration at the Utah State Prison, and has worked in several area high schools and universities.
In 2008, Watts and his wife Barbara moved to Springville, Utah, and he began instructing youth in basketball fundamentals in the community.