2021-22 Men's Basketball Roster
Roster
Watts, Rocket

Jersey Number 0
Rocket Watts
- Position:
- G
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 185
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Detroit, Mich.
- High School/Previous School:
- SPIRE Academy [Ohio]/Michigan State
Bio
HONORS & AWARDS
2019-20 All-Big Ten Freshman Team • Michigan State
2019-20 Big Ten Freshman of the Week • March 9. 2020 • Michigan State
2021-22 • JUNIOR
Watts played in 19 games with one start … Lone start came at LSU (Feb. 12) … Missed 15 games which included the team’s last 10 outings (Feb. 16-March 16) due to various injuries … Connected on 40.2 percent of his field goals (33-of-82), 26.7 percent from three-point territory (12-of-45) and 100.0 percent at the free throw line (5-of-5) … Chipped in 4.4 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game … Saw 10-plus minutes of action during 14 of his 19 appearances … Registered double figures in three games … Transferred to Oakland following the 2021-22 season.
2021-22 • BEST GAMES
Watts scored his first points in a MSU uniform on a jumper at the 12:40 mark of the first half versus hometown Detroit Mercy (Nov. 17) during his season debut … Ripped off a season-high 15 points on 6-of-8 from the field and 3-of-4 on treys against Lamar (Dec. 2) … Garnered eight points versus Minnesota (Dec. 5) … Amassed 65.0 percent of his points over an eight-game span (Dec. 29-Feb. 1) … Drained consecutive baskets with 13:28 and 12:55 left in second half as part of a 7-point effort to stretch a five-point lead to nine points against Arkansas (Dec. 29) during SEC opener … Tallied five of nine points during second half of near comeback win at No. 12 Kentucky (Jan. 25) … Chipped in 10 points at No. 13 Texas Tech (Jan. 29) at Big 12/SEC Challenge … Pumped home a SEC season’s best 11 points at South Carolina (Feb. 1) … Season final came during lone start at LSU (Feb. 12).
BEFORE MISSISSIPPI STATE
Watts joins the Bulldogs as part of a talented four-member transfer class, which amassed 2,388 combined points between Garrison Brooks (North Carolina), D.J. Jeffries (Memphis) and Shakeel Moore (North Carolina State) … Totaled 460 points, 121 assists and 110 rebounds over his first two seasons at Michigan State … Piled up 67.4 percent of his points and recorded 12 of his 18 games in double figures against Big Ten opponents … The Spartans were 16-2 when Watts scored 10 or more points and won all five decisions when Watts fired in 20-plus points … Shot 36.3 percent from the field (174-of-480), 26.9 percent from behind the three-point line (56-of-208) and 78.9 percent on free throws (56-of-71) … Michigan State was the nation’s preseason No. 1 team in 2019-20 and captured a top 10 finish under Tom Izzo … The Spartans rose as high as No. 4 twice in 2020-21 (Dec. 7 & Dec. 14, 2020).
2020-21 • BEST GAMES • MICHIGAN STATE
Watts posted 7.7 points, 2.7 assists and 1.7 rebounds game … Started seven of the team’s first nine games (Nov. 25-Dec. 28) and six of the team’s last eight games (Feb. 23-March 18) … Sank 33.6 percent of his shot attempts (81-of-241), 25.3 percent on three-pointers (22-of-87) and 78.0 percent of his foul shots (32-of-41) … Three of his top 5 scoring efforts in 2020-21 were during victories against top 10 competition … Dished out five or more assists on five occasions … Poured in 20 points at No. 6 Duke (Dec. 1) as part of 10-plus in four of his first five games (Nov. 25-Dec. 16) … Picked up 13 points and six assists against Notre Dame (Nov. 28) … Fired in a season’s best 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting versus Detroit Mercy (Dec. 4) … Handed out a season-high seven assists against No. 9 Wisconsin (Dec. 25) … Provided 11 points during a 68-45 rout of No. 15 Rutgers (Jan. 5) … Pumped in 15 points and five assists versus No. 5 Illinois (Feb. 23) … Exploded for 21 points during a 70-64 rivalry win over No. 2 Michigan (March 7).
2019-20 • BEST GAMES • MICHIGAN STATE
Watts came away with 9.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game … Hit on 38.9 percent from the field (93-of-239), 28.1 percent of his three-pointers (34-of-121) and 80.0 percent at the free throw line (24-of-30) … Started team’s first eight games of the season (Nov. 5-Dec. 3) … Reached double figures for first time in career with an 11-point effort against Charleston Southern (Nov. 18) … Registered 12 points versus UCLA (Nov. 27) at Maui Classic … Garnered double figures for first time in Big Ten action with 10 points at Purdue (Jan. 12) … Collected 16 points at Wisconsin (Feb. 1) … Closed out his freshman campaign with 10-plus points in five of his last seven outings (Feb. 11-March 8) … All five performances were against ranked opponents and all five resulted in Michigan State victories … Began the run with a 21-point performances at No. 22 Illinois (Feb. 11) and versus No. 18 Iowa (Feb. 25) … Piled up 18.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game en route to Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors for his performances at No. 20 Penn State (March 3) and against No. 19 Ohio State (March 8).
HIGH SCHOOL
Watts, a four-star prospect, was rated No. 33 nationally in the ESPN top 100 for the Class of 2019 … Began his prep career at Old Redford Academy in Detroit before he played at SPIRE Academy for his senior season in Ohio … A three-time Associated Press All-State First-Team pick and a two-time Detroit News All-Area selection … Won a gold medal for the USA U18 team at the 2018 FIBA Americas Championships.
PERSONAL
Born on June 1, 2000.
2019-20 All-Big Ten Freshman Team • Michigan State
2019-20 Big Ten Freshman of the Week • March 9. 2020 • Michigan State
2021-22 • JUNIOR
Watts played in 19 games with one start … Lone start came at LSU (Feb. 12) … Missed 15 games which included the team’s last 10 outings (Feb. 16-March 16) due to various injuries … Connected on 40.2 percent of his field goals (33-of-82), 26.7 percent from three-point territory (12-of-45) and 100.0 percent at the free throw line (5-of-5) … Chipped in 4.4 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game … Saw 10-plus minutes of action during 14 of his 19 appearances … Registered double figures in three games … Transferred to Oakland following the 2021-22 season.
2021-22 • BEST GAMES
Watts scored his first points in a MSU uniform on a jumper at the 12:40 mark of the first half versus hometown Detroit Mercy (Nov. 17) during his season debut … Ripped off a season-high 15 points on 6-of-8 from the field and 3-of-4 on treys against Lamar (Dec. 2) … Garnered eight points versus Minnesota (Dec. 5) … Amassed 65.0 percent of his points over an eight-game span (Dec. 29-Feb. 1) … Drained consecutive baskets with 13:28 and 12:55 left in second half as part of a 7-point effort to stretch a five-point lead to nine points against Arkansas (Dec. 29) during SEC opener … Tallied five of nine points during second half of near comeback win at No. 12 Kentucky (Jan. 25) … Chipped in 10 points at No. 13 Texas Tech (Jan. 29) at Big 12/SEC Challenge … Pumped home a SEC season’s best 11 points at South Carolina (Feb. 1) … Season final came during lone start at LSU (Feb. 12).
BEFORE MISSISSIPPI STATE
Watts joins the Bulldogs as part of a talented four-member transfer class, which amassed 2,388 combined points between Garrison Brooks (North Carolina), D.J. Jeffries (Memphis) and Shakeel Moore (North Carolina State) … Totaled 460 points, 121 assists and 110 rebounds over his first two seasons at Michigan State … Piled up 67.4 percent of his points and recorded 12 of his 18 games in double figures against Big Ten opponents … The Spartans were 16-2 when Watts scored 10 or more points and won all five decisions when Watts fired in 20-plus points … Shot 36.3 percent from the field (174-of-480), 26.9 percent from behind the three-point line (56-of-208) and 78.9 percent on free throws (56-of-71) … Michigan State was the nation’s preseason No. 1 team in 2019-20 and captured a top 10 finish under Tom Izzo … The Spartans rose as high as No. 4 twice in 2020-21 (Dec. 7 & Dec. 14, 2020).
2020-21 • BEST GAMES • MICHIGAN STATE
Watts posted 7.7 points, 2.7 assists and 1.7 rebounds game … Started seven of the team’s first nine games (Nov. 25-Dec. 28) and six of the team’s last eight games (Feb. 23-March 18) … Sank 33.6 percent of his shot attempts (81-of-241), 25.3 percent on three-pointers (22-of-87) and 78.0 percent of his foul shots (32-of-41) … Three of his top 5 scoring efforts in 2020-21 were during victories against top 10 competition … Dished out five or more assists on five occasions … Poured in 20 points at No. 6 Duke (Dec. 1) as part of 10-plus in four of his first five games (Nov. 25-Dec. 16) … Picked up 13 points and six assists against Notre Dame (Nov. 28) … Fired in a season’s best 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting versus Detroit Mercy (Dec. 4) … Handed out a season-high seven assists against No. 9 Wisconsin (Dec. 25) … Provided 11 points during a 68-45 rout of No. 15 Rutgers (Jan. 5) … Pumped in 15 points and five assists versus No. 5 Illinois (Feb. 23) … Exploded for 21 points during a 70-64 rivalry win over No. 2 Michigan (March 7).
2019-20 • BEST GAMES • MICHIGAN STATE
Watts came away with 9.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game … Hit on 38.9 percent from the field (93-of-239), 28.1 percent of his three-pointers (34-of-121) and 80.0 percent at the free throw line (24-of-30) … Started team’s first eight games of the season (Nov. 5-Dec. 3) … Reached double figures for first time in career with an 11-point effort against Charleston Southern (Nov. 18) … Registered 12 points versus UCLA (Nov. 27) at Maui Classic … Garnered double figures for first time in Big Ten action with 10 points at Purdue (Jan. 12) … Collected 16 points at Wisconsin (Feb. 1) … Closed out his freshman campaign with 10-plus points in five of his last seven outings (Feb. 11-March 8) … All five performances were against ranked opponents and all five resulted in Michigan State victories … Began the run with a 21-point performances at No. 22 Illinois (Feb. 11) and versus No. 18 Iowa (Feb. 25) … Piled up 18.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game en route to Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors for his performances at No. 20 Penn State (March 3) and against No. 19 Ohio State (March 8).
HIGH SCHOOL
Watts, a four-star prospect, was rated No. 33 nationally in the ESPN top 100 for the Class of 2019 … Began his prep career at Old Redford Academy in Detroit before he played at SPIRE Academy for his senior season in Ohio … A three-time Associated Press All-State First-Team pick and a two-time Detroit News All-Area selection … Won a gold medal for the USA U18 team at the 2018 FIBA Americas Championships.
PERSONAL
Born on June 1, 2000.
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