Washington State University Athletics

James Donaldson was an imposing figure standing at 7-foot-2. As a center on the Washington State basketball team from 1976-79, he became the best shot blocker in school history. He set a single game record for block (10 against Seattle in 1977), Donaldson’s blocks and blocks per game in 1978 each set a school record and he broke both marks as in senior in 1979. He pulled down 305 rebounds as a junior and ranked second on the WSU single-season list when he left Pullman. Donaldson averaged a double-double for points and rebounds over his junior and senior seasons. He was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the fourth round of the 1979 NBA Draft and spent 14 seasons as a professional with Seattle, the San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks and Utah Jazz. Donaldson led the NBA in field goal percentage at 63.7 in 1985 and was a 1988 all-star. He scored 8,203 points and registered 7,492 rebounds as a pro. Donaldson was inducted to the Pac-10 Men’s Basketball Hall of Honor in 2006.