WATONGA — Devon Wilson is a sharp shooter and a “grade A’ defender for the Watonga Eagles Basketball team. He’s 17, and spends most of his time playing basketball, but other hobbies of his include playing video games and spending time with his girlfriend, Jaryn. He’s involved in the Heritage Club at Watonga and FCCLA.
He started basketball when he was in the 1st grade, when his parents bought a basketball goal for their yard. He and his siblings would play together, but Devon described himself as the best of all his siblings. “I schooled everybody,” Wilson said. His dad, Alnathan Wilson, is Devon’s “why” for playing. “He inspires me everyday to get up and get after it and prove to me and to myself and to everybody else that I’m about it,” Devon said. “He’s someone that’s really guided me throughout my whole life and helped me a lot. And he’s just my dad but he can also be my friend and that person that’s always just gonna be there for me.”
Coach Kirk Graham was very influential for him in the sport. He was Wilson’s coach from last season. “He showed me that there’s a lot more to basketball than just basketball,” Wilson said.
This year has been pretty positive for Devon. He has the highest 3 point percentage of the team, and is described as a “beast on defense” by Coach Brandon Gallagher. “We’re headed in the right direction,” Devon said, “I think we just need more chemistry, more discipline, and more structure.” His goals for this year is to finish the year off strong in basketball, but also in academics. As a team, he wants to be undefeated at their home court, and make conference champions. “He usually guards the other team's best player, and he plays hard all the time,” Gallagher said, “He competes all the time… and that’s the type of guys I like to have around.”
At the beginning of the year, Watonga played a scrimmage against Cordell. In the scrimmage Devon had a setback and hurt his knee. “I still haven’t played one game healthy yet, and it’s just frustrating to me because I know I could help my team in different ways than what I am right now.’
The thing Wilson will miss the most about highschool is basketball, but he’s ready to take steps towards his future. Throughout his senior season so far, he’s taken Aahjay Johnson, a freshman on the team, and taken him under his wing. He’s trying to teach him all he knows before he graduates.
Two large inspirations in Devon’s life have been his girlfriend, and his Cousin, CJ. CJ lived with Devon for a while, and they were always together. “He was really the person I was always with all the time… He’s a person I look up to and admire in some way,” Wilson said about CJ. Jaryn is a big motivator for Devon. She’s often at his games to support him and is always there to motivate him to get after it.
He plans on going to college, and hopes to become a Real Estate Agent, and sell houses. Basketball in college is a goal for him, but he doesn’t have a preference of where he would like to play.
Devon Wilson, 17
Grade- Senior
Family- Alnathan Wilson and Evelyn Wilson, Daniella Lucero (parents). Nicholas, Lavender, Nataylon, Kandon, Lexi, Makayla, Dalton, Moria, Journey, Junior, Carter (siblings)
Activities- Basketball, Heritage Club, FCCLA
Hobbies- Basketball, Video games, Hanging out with friends and girlfriend