Penn State basketball seniors Lamar Stevens and Mike Watkins leave program with little closure
Lamar Stevens and Mike Watkins walked off the Bryce Jordan Center court after a 79-71 loss to Michigan State for the final time together on March 3. While the seniors left their home court with a loss, they believed they had plenty of time to rectify the outcome and end their career in a way few others have at Penn State.
There was still a road game left to close the regular season, and the postseason, including a berth into the NCAA Tournament, was just beyond it. A game against the conference’s second-worst team could propel them into another run like the eight-game winning streak that highlighted the middle of their senior seasons.
Instead, everything collapsed.
Watkins was suspended for a violation of team rules for the regular season finale against Northwestern, and then charged with a DUI on March 12. The Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament were canceled amid growing concerns about the coronavirus. The NCAA decided not to hold Selection Sunday to honor the teams that would’ve qualified.
Instead of a storybook ending, the senior class that helped turn the Penn State men’s basketball program around left with a whimper and a lack of closure. Penn State head coach Pat Chambers’ most talented group of seniors in his nine years at the helm of the program left it with nothing in hand. There was no postseason, no participation in March Madness, no becoming the program’s all-time leading scorer for Stevens, and no closure for two players who impacted the program more than any duo has in the last decade.
“I can’t thank Lamar Stevens enough for what he’s meant to this program,” Chambers said on a conference call a week after the tournaments were canceled. “Just incredible. What a consistent player he’s been ... I ache for him. I hurt for him that he wasn’t able to play in an NCAA Tournament game.”
Stevens is set to take his career to the professional level now that his college career is over. He was the No. 78 player in The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie’s top 100 on Feb. 28, which would project him as an undrafted player. Even if he goes undrafted, Stevens will have plenty of opportunity to prove himself in the basketball world. He has enough talent to play in the NBA’s developmental league, the G-League, and eventually make an NBA roster. If he decides not to play in the United States, Stevens will have plenty of opportunities to play overseas.
Regardless of where his career goes, Chambers and his program plan to be there for Stevens and his senior counterparts.
“We’re going to continue to support (Lamar) in what he’s doing and Mike in what he’s doing and (senior guard) Curtis (Jones Jr.) in what he’s doing,” Chambers said. “I’m staying in constant communication with our guys through FaceTime and Zoom.”
Both should have a chance to play professionally now that their college careers are over, but Watkins is in a unique situation. The senior center has dealt with mental health issues in his time at Penn State and has had multiple run-ins with law enforcement, with the DUI charge being the latest. While a career overseas is easily attainable because of his talent, it’s unknown what he’ll decide to do.
Chambers and his program have helped keep Watkins on track as much as they could in his time at Penn State and they plan to continue those impacts now that his career is over.
“My relationship with Mike Watkins is never going to end,” Chambers said. “I committed to Watkins when he was a sophomore in high school. We’ve been through thick and thin and we will continue to go through the ups and downs of life, especially with someone who has a mental illness. I will stay connected with him.”
Right now, that help means helping Watkins finish what he started at Penn State.
“My main goal right now with him, and we’ve communicated all week, is to get his degree,” Chambers said. “(It’s) a little bit harder for somebody like Mike who needs structure, who needs to be in a classroom, who needs academic help and who needs study hall and tutor time. ... We’re all trying to choreograph the situation for him to find success in the classroom and get this degree.”
While Chambers wants Watkins to focus on earning his degree, he still wants Watkins to prepare for what’s next in basketball at the same time.
“We’ve talked about agents,” Chambers said. “We’re going to try to help him hire the best agent for him. (It has to be) somebody who understands his situation and can be there for him.”
The senior duo’s impact is difficult to measure now that both are moving onto their professional careers. It came with plenty of accomplishments on the court, even with Watkins’ off-court struggles, but their lasting impact could prove more valuable than any scoring title or postseason bid.
This success of this season brought a spike in interest from Nittany Lions fans, as the Bryce Jordan Center sold out for basketball for the first time since 2011, and Penn State games saw a 34% increase in TV viewership on the Big Ten Network.
Stevens and Watkins won’t get to know how their stories would have ended if the postseason hadn’t been canceled, but their time on campus could be a launching point for Chambers’ program.
This story was originally published March 24, 2020 at 5:10 PM.
