Exclusive: Former undrafted NBA vet-turned author dishes on rejection, perseverance

Former NBA journeyman C.J. Watson is part of a small group of players who found success after going undrafted. The Las Vegas native played 600 regular-season games and 48 postseason contests from 2007 to 2017, appearing for the Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic.

However, Watson is now a children’s book author. The 42-year-old pens a series named CJ’s Big Dream, meant to inspire kids to chase their dreams and persevere through adversity.

Watson was raised in an underprivileged part of Las Vegas, but he was inspired by a high school coach to take basketball more seriously. That steered the Tennessee alum toward success, and he wants to do the same for children where he grew up.

Watson also uses his NBA experience for other opportunities. For example, the former second-team All-SEC honoree advises sports companies like Synergy Sports Capital, GloBall Life, and Scoutz, which deal with areas such as sports-related real estate and scouting. Additionally, he takes business courses through Pro Athlete Community (PAC), an organization that helps active and retired professional athletes navigate life outside of sports.

Watson talked to ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview about how he found his next calling after basketball and his creative goals.

C.J. Watson Q&A

Joshua Valdez: What inspired you to become a kids’ book author?

C.J. Watson: Honestly, I didn’t originally want to be an author. I was sitting on my couch after I retired, and I said, “How can I tell my story, but also inspire the next generation?” That’s kind of how it happened.

I thought a great, great way to do that was through books that kids need to read. I called one of my old coaches, and he actually was an author and was reading some books, and he gave me some advice on what to do and what not to do. That’s kind of how the process started.

Joshua Valdez: Was it one of your NBA coaches?

C.J. Watson: No, he coached me on the USA team when I was younger. So we always stayed in contact with each other, and we were randomly on the phone one day. I was talking about my idea I had, and once I start an idea, I like to see it through. And that’s kind of how it started.

He introduced me to a lady named Tamika, and we talked and got all the ideas out of my head and on some paper, which led to the first book.

Joshua Valdez: How do you integrate your story into these books?

C.J. Watson: I just want to tell true stories. When I tell a true story, it can help resonate or help another kid through their journey. I think that’s the most productive. And that’s always been my journey. I don’t want to tell a false story. I also want to keep it real with the kids. Everything isn’t peaches and cream, so things happen. There’s bumps and valleys in the process…

Joshua Valdez: How did your career in the league give you perspective for the journey you’re on now?

C.J. Watson: You’re gonna hear a lot of “nos.” I think that’s the biggest thing. I heard that through my career, you know, not getting drafted, not making certain teams and stuff like that. Just always just pushing through adversity and always believing in yourself.

Joshua Valdez: Do you face rejection as a writer?

C.J. Watson: Oh, yeah. When I was trying to find a literary agent, I heard a lot of “nos.” Even going through the book process, trying to get people to buy into the stories, there are a lot more nos than yeses. Even when they believe that you have a good product and you put everything into it, sometimes it doesn’t work. So like I say, just push through the adversity and have that stable confidence about yourself and about the things that you create.

Joshua Valdez: Can you name any examples of how you’ve connected with kids through your stories?

C.J. Watson: Yeah. When I go read to kids, I go mostly to Title I schools, which are underprivileged. In my first book, I talk about how I walked to school, and I saw graffiti, uncut grass, broken bottles, and stuff like that. Those are things that you typically see in an underprivileged community. And that kind of discourages you; it does not help you be great and push for your dreams.

So that’s kind of how I kind of relate to the kids, saying, “I grew up in the same areas where you grew up. And if I can make it out, you can make it out.”

Joshua Valdez: When you were a kid, did you have any players come and read to you? 

C.J. Watson: No. I’m from Vegas, born and raised in Vegas, and there was no NBA or NFL team. The only NBA player that I knew was my older coach at my high school. He was my hero growing up.

Joshua Valdez: Did he inspire you to take basketball seriously?

C.J. Watson: Yeah, for sure. He’s definitely one of the reasons why I took that path. I think he’s actually from Compton or LA, but he came back to Vegas, gave back to us kids and wanted to see us do well. He trained with us all the time, and he told us that the game is a life lesson. It’s not really about basketball, but how to be a young man growing up in the world.

Joshua Valdez: Were there any authors or animators who inspired you?

C.J. Watson: I didn’t know anything about any authors before. I just used to watch cartoons when I was younger, and I thought it was cool. I used to take my daughters to see Disney movies all the time, so that’s kind of what inspired me to write for kids. They need that motivation, and also that insight from adults, ’cause they haven’t lived as long.

Joshua Valdez: Are you accomplishing the goals you’ve set as a writer?

C.J. Watson: Yeah. It’s almost always about getting more exposure, getting the word out. I also want to turn the books into a cartoon series. That’s the ultimate goal.

But also, I just want kids to know that life isn’t gonna be easy; it’s gonna be hard work. The different titles in my book kind of go through that. One’s about bullying, one’s about traveling the world. One’s about doing your homework, because that was a big stress in my family, getting good grades and how that helps you down the line as an adult. We don’t really need a lot of the stuff that we learned in school, but at least you have the foundation. You can be a good human being. I think that’s the biggest thing for me.

Joshua Valdez: Was it hard for you to get taken seriously as an author at the start?

C.J. Watson: Yeah, I think the process is hit or miss. I definitely think that most people see me as an athlete. It’s hard to kind of change the way you’re viewed, but when the ball stops bouncing, it’s done bouncing. I don’t even consider myself a basketball player anymore, even though I played for a while.

Now I say author or entrepreneur, because that’s what I currently do. Basketball was the first part of my life, and now I’m moving on to the next and trying to make that great also.

Joshua Valdez: What else did you learn from the league other than sticking through hard times?

C.J. Watson: It’s a business, and it’s not always as fun as most fans think it is. There are a lot of things that go into it, like taxes. You also learn a lot about yourself and others, how they treat you when you’re playing and then when you’re not playing.

Joshua Valdez: Lastly, what advice do you have for athletes who have a dream outside of their sport?

C.J. Watson: I would say just do it. I think the biggest thing for me was second-guessing myself, asking, “Should I do it? Should I not do it? Should I wait another month? Should I wait until next year?” I think there’s no perfect time for when you’re trying to create something; you just got to go out there and do it and learn through the bumps in the road.

Also, get advice from other people who’ve done it before. Mentors are always willing to get back and give you sound advice, and that could help you. So I think that’s another big thing.

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