C.J. Watson says NBA hasn't changed him

Former UT star C.J. Watson on the Bulls, the Vols

In the last 12 months, former Tennessee standout C.J. Watson signed a multi-million dollar contract and played in the NBA Eastern Conference finals.

But talking to Watson, you wouldn't get the impression that anything has changed in his life since he left the UT program in 2006.

"I haven't changed, I still do the same things,'' Watson said during his appearance at the a3 athletics agency charity fundraiser at Willow Creek on Friday.

Among those "same things" are remaining brief and direct with media, staying playful with friends and showing a determination to improve his game.

Watson, who signed a three-year, $10 million contract with the Chicago Bulls last July and is represented by former Bearden basketball standout-turned-local attorney and agent Jared Karnes, has kept both feet planted on the ground despite all of his success.

Watson described the Bulls' playoff run - which ended when the Miami Heat eliminated Chicago - in a matter-of-fact fashion

"We were a young team with a few experienced players, but we got a taste of the conference finals and saw what it takes to get there,'' Watson said on the News Sentinel's Sports Page radio show. "We made little mental mistakes, turned the ball over in the fourth quarter and didn't stick to defensive principles.''

Watson could have easily couched his explanation of the team's downfall.

But to do so would mean the man known as "Quiet Storm" had changed.

Watson's straightforward, to-the-point mode of communication has led him to regal status in the world of Twitter. He has more than 346,000 followers on the social networking website, even though he's not even an NBA starter, averaging a mere 13.3 minutes per game this past season.

It would be easy for the well-compensated Watson to say he was satisfied with his role.

But honesty is one of Watson's strengths.

Asked to compare last season to the previous two seasons with the anemic Golden State Warriors, where he averaged 27.5 and 24.5 minutes per game, Watson shrugged.

"It's give and take,'' he said. "It was good getting all of those minutes and getting experience (with Golden State), and it was good playing behind (Chicago's NBA MVP) Derrick Rose.

"I think I have more to contribute, but it is what it is. I'll keep working hard and try to get more minutes next year.''

Watson made the most of his one start this past season, scoring 33 points in 44 minutes against the Denver Nuggets.

While Watson appreciates his role in Chicago, he also understands the importance of opportunity.

Former UT coach Bruce Pearl describes Watson as a hard worker and a quick study with a high basketball IQ.

But those traits alone aren't enough for any player to make it in the NBA.

"I believe the key for me was just sticking to it,'' said Watson, who began his professional career bouncing overseas before landing in the NBA Development League and initially signing paperwork for a 10-day call-up to Golden State midway through the 2007-08 season. "It was just making the most of an opportunity.''

Watson is hoping Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau presents him with more opportunities next season.

"I'm just hoping coach has more confidence in the bench, and plays the bench more,'' Watson said, "and maybe playing me and D-Rose together.''

It's a common concept that starters win games in the NBA, but deep benches win playoff series, as exhibited in the Dallas Mavericks' title run.

Watson is from Las Vegas originally and plays his basketball in Chicago, and yet, he signed with a Knoxville sports agency in part because of his desire to maintain a relationship with his Vols fans.

Watson said he wears his Tennessee colors proudly in a Bulls locker room that's full of former SEC stars, including Arkansas' Ronnie Brewer, Kentucky's Keith Bogans and Florida's Joakim Noah, in addition to Memphis' Rose.

"We bring up college all the time, especially with a lot of SEC players on our team,'' Watson said.

"We make little side bets when our teams play each other, so we take pride in our programs.''

Watson said one of the first conversations he had when joining the Bulls was with Noah, whose front tooth he elbowed out during a 2006 UT win over Florida.

"He (Noah) just told me not to throw any more elbows,'' said Watson, chuckling at how well the former rivals get along as teammates in Chicago.

Watson said he's anxious to get back together with his teammates, but for now, he's working out alone while the NBA attempts to settle its labor dispute.

"We heard there's going to be a lockout,'' Watson said. "Hopefully the players association gets it all figured out.''

As direct as Watson is in his responses, he offers little on a personable level until after the cameras are off and the tape recorders shut down.

That same blunt approach, however, could hold a key to Watson's multi-media success; one might note that each of his responses fit within Twitter's 140-character window.

Watson said he doesn't really know how or why he has so many people subscribed to follow him on Twitter.

But the former valedictorian of his Baptist church's evangelism school may have provided a hint in a Saturday night tweet from his Quietstorm_32 address: "God tends to pour blessings on ppl (sic) going in a direction he wants them to go.''