Extra Wattage: Isaiah and LeJuan Watts aren’t related, but share a high basketball IQ that should help them flourish as WSU teammates

Every once in a while, when they’re out in public together, Isaiah Watts and LeJuan Watts will lean into the joke. A stranger will recognize the two, who are now teammates at Washington State, and they’ll wonder what seems fair to ask: Are you guys related?

“And we’ll tell them, like yeah, that’s my cousin,” Isaiah laughed. “Just to get it out of the way.”

Contrary to what might be popular belief, Isaiah and LeJuan are not related in any way, only new teammates at WSU. Isaiah is from Seattle, LeJuan from Fresno, California. Isaiah played for the Cougars last year, LeJuan for Eastern Washington, which is where new WSU coach David Riley came from. They don’t even look much alike.

But they do share a close relationship, and maybe they wouldn’t if they didn’t share a last name. They first met years ago, when both were in high school. They attended an elite camp in Arizona, where they played on a team together. They didn’t know each other at the time, but when they noticed they shared a last name, they greeted each other.

Since then, they’ve become buddies, and now they’re closer than ever. This season, the Watts figure to play key roles for the Cougs, who are competing as affiliate members in the West Coast Conference, giving the team a chance to renew a dormant rivalry with Gonzaga. They’ll play in Spokane on Jan. 11 and in Pullman on Feb. 19.

Can the Watts propel WSU to wins in those contests and beyond? It helps that their games seem to complement each other. Watts fashions himself a quick guard, a catch-and-shoot artist, which is the kind of talent he used to bury the game-winning 3-pointer in WSU’s NCAA Tournament win over Drake last spring. Watts is more of a downhill play finisher, scoring the majority of his baskets last season inside the arc.

Part of succeeding in Riley’s open-floor offense, they understand, is having a strong basketball IQ. Both Watts like that part of their games, seeing open passes and looking for the hot hand, so it stands to reason they’ll work well together.

“I think it complements perfectly,” LeJuan said of he and Isaiah’s games. “We’re kinda opposites. He’s a shoot-first (guy). I would say I like to pass it, so whenever someone chases him around, I’m looking for him.”

A season ago, Isaiah averaged 3.7 points on 38% shooting from deep, coming on strong toward the end of the season. He tallied 18 points in a home win over USC, 15 in a loss to rival Washington and late in WSU’s NCAA Tournament win over Drake, the Cougs faced a deficit. Their offense was stuck in mud, but with a shade under two minutes to play, Watts sunk a go-ahead trey, sparking WSU’s offense and pushing the Cougars across the finish line.

For his part, LeJuan registered several sterling games of his own last season. He scored in double figures on 14 occasions, logging a season-high 21 points in an overtime win over Big Sky powerhouse Montana State. He wasn’t much of a 3-point shooting marksman, but he did knock down two treys in back-to-back games, a loss to USC and a win over Air Force.

That, LeJuan said, is a change he’s ready to make. Last season, he did shoot 41% from deep, but he only averaged a little more than one attempt per game. He left the distance shooting to his teammates.

He wants to develop into more of a threat from beyond the arc this season, he said, which figures to help him flourish even more in Riley’s system, which thrives on pace, shooting and game IQ.

The other Watts might be able to help with that. Last winter, he ribbed his teammates over his shooting prowess, crowing that he was the best shooter on the team. He didn’t see meaningful playing time until the back half of the season, but his numbers seemed to back him up.

Now the Watts have each other to back up. Their games seem primed for it.