(bright music) - Welcome to "The Newsfeed."

I'm Paris Jackson.

We're here at Puget Sound Basketball, where beyond those doors, the Watts Foundation helps youth elevate their game while also being mentored through their programs.

I caught up with one of its founders, Donald Watts, Jr.

He says he's living his father's legacy while also trying to regain his strength to give back to the game that's in his blood.

- Ready?

Let's go.

(shoes squeak) Good.

- [Paris] Donald Watts Jr. is in his element- - There you go.

Good going.

- Mentoring and training young athletes.

- Because I don't know nothing else but to give back and to help and be around kids.

- [Paris] Watts Jr. says he was practically born in a gym by extension of his dad, former Seattle Supersonic and longtime Seattle public schools educator, Slick Watts.

Watts Jr. was a starter at University of Washington shooting guard.

They created Watts basketball and the Watts Foundation.

- Like this is my example of a man growing up, right?

Somebody who was constantly took time for people, that cared about people, that gave back to his community.

When he got done playing, he worked for the Seattle Public School District for 30 years.

- December, 2023 on Christmas Day, Watts Jr. suffered a stroke and his dad did too, a massive one during the pandemic.

- When I was learning how to walk again, right?

When I was learning how to use my left hand, it works now.

Not as good as it used to for shooting and stuff like that, but it just took me back to the times where I was learning it for the first time and I'm also around young people who are developing and in those developing and so it's humbling, right?

It's like, hey, don't worry about like what you used to be able to do, right?

Like you had a setback and let's just build and see how far and how fast we can improve and get better.

Alright.

I'm over here on campus with the cogs, kicking off my physical rehab part.

I'm gonna hit this set of lines.

Court's a little longer than our regular set of lines, but we're gonna see what we do today.

(shoes squeak) - Yeah.

- The young people that I get an opportunity to work with are the energy and the inspiration for the work that I've done in my recovery.

- [Paris] That he continues to navigate while also trying to care for his dad.

- I think one of the things that kids really need more from adults is more adults who understand you're in the process, headed the right direction versus, oh, you got it right.

Right?

It's like you gotta be able to tell a kid that he's winning and him believe you, even if he's down on the scoreboard, but he's growing.

Like those are the type of mental words, like you're headed the right direction.

The objective is not to win, it's to strive to win and to build winning habits in that process.

- [Paris] The foundation has seen an enrollment decline.

- And so where we're at now is like the numbers are down, the numbers are low.

Being able to get 15 to 20 kids per camp that are sponsored will really help kids in the community get those valuable life skills, but it also help us keep the lights on.

- [Paris] Watts says the community could best help the foundation through financial support.

- Just help put us to work for the young people who need it, sponsoring kids in our camps.

Reach out to us, thewattsfoundation.org.

Just need the community support to make sure we can keep doing it.

Quiet those feet down.

Good.

And then when I reach, go, yes.

(bright music) - I am Paris Jackson.

Thank you for watching "The Newsfeed," your destination for nonprofit Northwest news.

Go to cascadePBS.org for more great local coverage.

(bright music)