Seattle Inductees (2010)
Donald Earl “Slick” Watts
Donald Earl “Slick” Watts was born July 22, 1951 in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, was an American former basketball player. Watts was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics in 1973. In 1976 he led the NBA in total assists, assists per game, total steals, steals per game, and made NBA All-Defense First-Team. That same year, Watts also received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for his outstanding service to the community.
Injuries curtailed Watts’ career, however, as he only managed playing six NBA seasons before retiring. He played 4 1/2 years with the Sonics, half a season with the New Orleans Jazz, and one season with the Houston Rockets.
Don James
Don James was born December 31, 1932, in Massillon, Ohio and was a former college football head coach. He led Kent State for four seasons and University of Washington for eighteen, winning a national championship in 1985, 1990 and 1991.
As a quarterback for the Miami Hurricanes, James set five school passing records. He then received a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Kansas, where he was a graduate assistant for the Jayhawks. He coached high school football for two years, then was a college assistant coach for a dozen seasons at Florida State, Michigan, and Colorado.
In 1971, James became the head coach at Kent State, where he compiled a 25-19 record (.568) in four years. He coached future NFL great Jack Lambert and college head coaches Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide and Gary Pinkel of the Missouri Tigers. During his tenure in Kent, the Golden Flashes won their only Mid-American Conference title, in 1972, and played in their last bowl game, the 1972 Tangerine Bowl.
In December 1974, Don James was hired by University of Washington athletic director Joseph Kearney to succeed Jim Owens as head coach. James served in this capacity for 18 seasons, from 1975 to 1992. He led the Huskies to the national championship in 1991 (shared with Miami), six Rose Bowls (4 wins, 2 losses), an Orange Bowl title in January 1985 and fifteen bowl games (10 wins, 5 losses) in eighteen years. In all, James compiled a 153-57-2 record (.726) at Washington, including a then-record 98 wins in Pac-10 conference play. Washington won 22 consecutive games from 1990-92.
Floyd D. Little
Floyd D. Little hails from New Haven, Connecticut, and from birth, second best was a condition he was not comfortable with. Armed with sincerity, honesty and the five basic ingredients for success: Drive, Determination, Dedication, Commitment and Sacrifice, Floyd set out on a path less traveled.
Little began his climb through education at Bordentown Military Academy in New Jersey. Being an outstanding athlete, several colleges and universities recruited him, but in 1963 he marched on to Syracuse University. He excelled on every turn, which garnered him “All American Honors” every year. As an athlete, he always had time for the child who wanted an autograph or photo. He became known as ‘the man with the wherever pen.’
The victory came for Little when the Denver Broncos drafted him in 1967 where he toiled for nine rugged years as the leading rusher. He led as the team’s career rusher with 6,323 yards in 1,641 attempts, and scored 43 touchdowns. Little was recognized as a three-time All American player and twice won the American Football rushing title. Little was extremely honored to have his number, the legendary 44, retired both at Syracuse University and at the Denver Broncos.
David Lee Henderson
David Lee Henderson, nicknamed Hendu, was born in Dos Palos, California. He was a Major League Baseball player who played for the Seattle Mariners (1981-1986), Boston Red Sox (1986-1987), San Francisco Giants (1987), Oakland Athletics (1988-1993) and Kansas City Royals (1994). He graduated from Dos Palos High School in 1977 where his Football Jersey #42 and Baseball Jersey #22 were both retired for his hometown Broncos.
Henderson helped his teams reach the World Series four times during his career (1986 with Boston 1988-1990 with Oakland). However, his only World Championship ring came in 1989, when the A’s swept their Bay Area rivals, the San Francisco Giants.
The outfielder is best remembered for his two-strikes home run in the top of the ninth inning of Game 5 o the 1986 American League Championship Series. When Henderson stepped to the plate, there were two outs and a runner on first base. On a 2-2 count with the Red Sox down to their final strike in the series, Henderson, who had entered the game as a replacement for an injured Tony Armas, hit a home run that kept the Sox alive. Some compared the home run to possibly the most stunning clutch homer since Bobby Thomson in 1951.
Henderson went on to hit .400 in a losing cause as the Red Sox were defeated in the 1986 World Series by the New York Mets in seven games. He hit two home runs in that series.
Adia Barnes
On and off the basketball court, Adia Barnes made an impact on the Seattle community. Barnes was assigned to the Storm prior to the 2002 season as a free agent and a journeywoman, having played for three WNBA teams and spent training camp with a fourth in four professional seasons. With her strong defense and hustle, Barnes worked her way into the starting lineup by the end of the 2002 season and had a career-high 10 rebounds in the Storm’s critical win over Portland that keyed the first playoff berth in franchise history.
Barnes started 2003 vastly improved after working on her perimeter game, making 38.7% of her 3-pointers and starting the Storm’s first 16 games before tearing her left ACL against the Los Angeles Sparks on July 5. While Barnes was back on the court for 2004 and saw action in all 34 games, she was still hampered by her knee. Barnes played her last game of the Storm in 2005.Barnes has transitioned into a new role off the court as the Storm’s radio color analyst on KKNW 1150 AM starting with the 2007 season.
Barnes has helped the community with her foundation, Adia’s Dreams in Action.