There are many people throughout the University, and the nation for that matter, who simply don't know the 'real' Travis Watson.
The Watson they know is the man with a scowl and an uncanny knack for rebounding. A man who is afraid of no one or nothing on the basketball court, and who could crush a ball with his hands and muscles that most could only dream about. A man who made his patented reverse, left-handed lay-ups and monstrous throw downs famous in University Hall. And maybe most importantly, a man who is Virginia's returning scoring leader, who will look to lead the Cavaliers back to the "Promised Land."
The Watson that they
don't know, however,
is the young man that is
faithful to his team,
town and university. The man that drives around Charlottesville in his white minivan, quick to give a 'what's up' to whomever he passes. The man who couldn't fathom leaving his family for the NBA, though many said the opportunity was there. The man who will stop at nothing to be the leader Virginia so desperately needs off the court. The man who has played through unimaginable pain, all to give the Cavaliers the rebounder they so badly need night in, night out.
That is the 'real' Travis Watson.
"I don't want to scowl," Watson said during The Cavalier Daily's photo session with the senior forward. "That's just who I am on the court. I know y'all want to see me smile and show my muscles."
The fun-loving persona that Watson displays when around friends and teammates is the player that many people don't get to see, but one that could be the key to helping Virginia to their first postseason win in over seven years.
"Things are going to be different this season," Watson says, quickly losing the smile. "None of us liked losing like that last season, and I'm going to try and make sure that it doesn't happen again. I don't think any of us liked that feeling very much."
It seems as if every Cavalier is ready and willing to forget about last season's second half collapse. This year seemed to represent a clean slate and a new start, for no one more than Watson, who does not want to end his Virginia career on a sour note.
"We are a different type of team this year," he said. "We are really excited about getting Majestic back this year. Todd [Billet] and Nick [Vander Laan] and all of the guys are great additions, and I think you are going to see a different type of team out there. We are starting out with a clean slate. I don't plan on going out like last season."
Virginia head coach Pete Gillen agrees, saying that Watson will play a pivotal role as a leader of the team. He was voted by the team as one of Virginia's tri-captains, along with senior Jason Rogers and redshirt junior Majestic Mapp -- a senior as far as academic eligibility goes.
"We know what Travis can bring to the table," Gillen said. "He is a tremendous player that gives his all, and we expect big things from him in his last season."
Most of the college basketball pundits and fans around the country do know the player that Watson can be on the court, and it is a consensus that he is a force to be reckoned with.
The preseason Naismith college basketball player of the year nominee and All-America candidate is a rebounding machine, though he is vastly undersized for what most would describe as the center position.
The 6-foot-8, 255-pound senior was an almost automatic double-double last season, as he led the ACC in that category with 17, 10 coming during ACC play. Watson also led the league in rebounding with 9.7 boards a game. He averaged 6.29 on the defensive end and 3.43 on the offensive end, both the best in the ACC.
"He's a rebounding machine," said teammate Nick Vander Laan. "He is a beast on the inside, and I am sure glad that he is on my team, and I don't have to worry about playing him in the real games."
Many wonder how Watson can be such a proficient rebounder at only 6-foot-8-- though many people contend that he is actually an inch shorter. When asked, he gives you a funny look and a simple answer.
"Rebounding is easy, man," he says with another of his often-unseen smiles. "All you have to do is put a body on someone and go up and get the ball. It is all about effort and wanting the ball more than anyone else on the court."
He is quick to put an addendum on his answer, however, saying that there is a lot of technique involved, which he has seemed to perfect over the years.
"I have a good idea about the angles around the rim," he says. "I can envision where the ball is going to come off the glass, and I just make sure that I'm the first person in that spot, waiting to get the ball."
Watson's rebounding prowess has come at a cost over the years, however. There has not been a point during his first three years when Watson has been completely healthy. Whether it is hip flexors, hip-pointers, bruised ribs, banged-up shoulder, or bum ankles, chances are that Watson has had to endure it over his career at Virginia.
This season, Watson will be able dominate on both ends of the court, without all the wear and tear. The addition of true center Vander Laan allows Watson to go back to his natural position at power forward, which means he will be out on the wing more, away from banging under the boards the entire game.
Don't, however, get the idea that he won't be under the boards getting the rebounds, because that's who Watson is plain and simple.
"There won't be much of a change," Watson said. "I'm just going to do a lot more facing up at the offensive end of the court this year. The two positions are interchangeable, I think, and I will still be under the basket getting my boards. I am looking forward to being on the wing a little bit more, though."
Watson isn't the only man in University Hall happy to see a new big man to take some of the load off of Travis.
"We have been lucky with the amount of time Travis has been able to play over the years," Gillen said. "He has really been beat up, and with the addition of Nick, he should be able to stay away from so many nagging injuries."
Watson will also be counted on to switch roles on the offensive end, as the Cavaliers lost over half of their scoring. He averaged 14.1 points per game on 53 percent shooting over the course of last season, and Gillen will look for those numbers to jump a little bit in his senior campaign.
Moving to the four slot will allow Watson to shoot more 10 to 15 foot jumpers, which he was able to knock down with ease at the end of last season.
"He can do a little bit of everything," Gillen said of his big man. "That's what we are going to need this season. He will have to have a big year."
With the heart and fire that Watson displays on the court, there is little question that he will be successful no matter which position he plays on the floor.
For the Cavaliers to have a successful 2002-2003 campaign, Watson will have to accept a role that he hasn't been necessary up until this point in his career: he will have to become a leader. And if you knew the 'real' Watson, you would know that he is more than up for the challenge, which can mean only one thing for the rest of the country.
Opposing power forwards beware.
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