Dr. Courtney Watson joins the Portland Trail Blazers for her first season as Head Athletic Trainer in 2023-24 after spending the previous 15 seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, most recently serving as the Director of Sports Medicine and Head Athletic Trainer. Watson has more than 20 years of professional experience in the field of Sports Medicine. Specializing in health and injury management for some of the world’s most elite athletes, Watson expanded her career in Sports Medicine and has been recognized as a pioneer by being the first female Athletic Trainer in the sport of boxing – consulting and training the WBO WBC WBA welterweight champion of the world, Floyd Mayweather. She also became the first Head Athletic Trainer for the USA National 3x3 Team for the women and men. She currently holds four gold medals in the USA Basketball system as an Athletic Trainer, including a recent 2022 FIBA World Cup Championship for the Women’s USA National Team. Watson earned her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley in 2000 and a master’s degree in Exercise Science in 2008 from California University of Pennsylvania. In 2020, she earned her Doctorate of Athletic Training from Arizona Still University.