From Champion Athlete to Pioneering NBA Trainer
Courtney Watson’s passion for sports medicine traces back to her time as a University of California, Berkeley student trainer. The former WNBA champion and 4-time Olympic gold medalist broke barriers by becoming the NBA’s first woman of color athletic trainer with the Miami Heat.
Watson, who recently earned her doctorate, has since brought her talents to the Portland Trail Blazers while spearheading opportunities for the next generation.
“It’s been a dream come true,” Watson told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “I just learned at an early age what my passion was, and it was sports medicine, athletic training.”
Focused on Excellence Over Barriers
While proud of her Black excellence, Watson credits her mindset for propelling her pioneering career. Rather than fixating on being a rarity, she honed an unparalleled work ethic instilled by family.
“A lot of times my grandmother instilled in me the importance of education,” Watson shared. “I just really focused on not what I looked like, but just how much I can improve being a great team member.”
That mentality allowed Watson to excel on championsip levels – while inspiring her to increase representation.
Elevating Women of Color Through Mentorship
After noticing a lack of peers pursuing sports medicine opportunities, Watson launched an internship program specifically for women and women of color. Her goal is developing expertise and confidence in the next generation.
“I just started creating an internship program that allowed me to focus particularly on women and women of color to be able to understand what sports medicine is,” Watson explained.
The trailblazer’s advice for aspiring athletic trainers? “Love what you do. Find something that you love, and I feel like you never work a day in your life.”
She emphasized embracing passion, discomfort, and dedication as keys to future success: “It takes being uncomfortable to become comfortable later in situations that you’re not unsure of.”
