Many great players have suited up for UConn over the years, but few have been as transcendent as walk-on Tor Watts. In addition to single-handedly leading the Huskies to a 2013 victory over Detroit, Watts earned the prestigious honor of the program’s greatest walk-on in the super official A Dime Back rankings.
We were fortunate enough to catch up with Watts this weekend to play some journalistic hardball. It’s time for Important Questions.
Let’s start easy. What are you up to nowadays?
Watts: I spent a year and a half working at a charter school as an AD. Now I’m studying for LSATs coming up June 6.
How did you decide to try out for the team?
I was cut from University of Hartford basketball team – decided I wanted to transfer out of that school – received like a 3.7 [GPA], and came to UConn. I knew I wanted to try out from day one. I met Brendan Allen in the Rec. working out. He told me he was working out to try out as well, so him and I would work out together before classes, sometimes 6-7:00am. We became super close. He made the team and I started as a practice player.
How did you find out that you’d made the team?
Pat [Lenehan] and I were working out all summer, taking summer classes as well. We knew [Kyle] Bailey, Ethan [Waite] – that set of walk-ons – were graduating, so extra space was on the team. I think we found out when our practice jerseys were in the team’s locker room instead of the lockers we used… I can’t really remember. I definitely should.
Walk me through your day-to-day routine as a walk-on.
Same routine as the players. Class usually in mornings; weights; film; practice – or weights after practice – then night/late afternoon classes. Usually the walk-ons and practice players develop a chemistry because we have to trust each other and play our hardest to prepare the guys. We try to make plays and to make practice as difficult as possible while being smart, not trying to injure anyone.
What is the best part of being a walk-on?
The relationship you build with teammates and coaches. Also the Husky culture you become a part of forever. It’s weird when you realize players like Ray Allen, Rudy Gay, Kemba, even KO and Kfree all had to run the same cemetery hills, and wore the same uniform you had the opportunity to wear. You become very prideful when speaking about UConn after you graduate. It’s a good feeling. The day I get married the entire team will be at the ceremony, haha. All life-long friends… I’ll even invite coaches.
How many of the 12 scholarship players on the 2014 could you take one-on-one?
True story, I beat every player one-on-one during my years at UConn – except big men, we never played. So every guard and DeAndre and Niels all lost. They cannot even deny it. I never played Kentan, Phil, Tyler, or Leon. Everyone else took an L.
Worst dancer on that team.
Boat.
Who would win in a fight, a lion or an airplane? Why?
Lmao????? Lion is the King of the Jungle and an airplane runs on gas so eventually it has to land and when it does….Game over. (Did I really answer that?)
Explain Phil Nolan.
Best guy you can know. Super genuine, hilarious. Love Phil, life-long friend. This is a trick question though because you can’t really use any adjective to describe him. Phil is just Phil.
Your career FG% is higher than Pat Lenehan’s, but he’s like a brain surgeon or something. Which is more impressive?
Pat took more shots! I think one game he had like 9 points, haha. Pat is not human. He is in a lane of his own – special kid. To think he was traveling, going to practice, film, weights, WHILE balancing his major, then going to the top Med school in the country. He’s more impressive. He is going to do major things in the future. Love Pat. And he can really hoop.
Wings Over or DP Dough?
Wings Over. DP is gross.
Is KO actually this funny?
Haha, yeah KO is funny. Amazing coach. He taught me a lot of lessons and values as a man. And he really, really cares for everyone.
When you hear Turn Down for What now, do you sing along “Tor Down for Watts?”
Every time.
