Saddi Washington set many career and season records while playing basketball at Western Michigan.  He is still ranked in the top 10 for field goals, field goal attempts, free throws made, free throws attempted, steals, assists and points.  He ranks in the top five of 10 different categories in NCAA history. (Don't know if this is the case, double check with NCAA record book). During the summer of 1994, he played at the Olympic Sports Festival in St. Louis in a four-team tournament. He was a four-year letter winner, having to sit out the 1994-95 season due to injury.  He was named Academic All-MAC twice (1997 and 1998).  In 1994, Washington's freshman season, he made the MAC All-Freshman team, and in 1997, he earned Second Team All-MAC.  Upon leaving Western Michigan in 1998, he played for five NBA Summer Leagues.  In 2001 he won an ABA Championship with the Detroit Dogs. 

We recently got the chance to sit down with Saddi and ask him a few questions about what he has been doing since he has left Western and what his college experience was like playing sports.

Q: Who inspired you to play basketball?

A: My father who first introduced us, me and my two brothers.  He went on to play at Michigan State. He was the one that taught me all the fundamentals. He continues to try to teach me today.

Q: What was your most memorable game?

A: There are two of them. One is the NCAA tournament game against Clemson and Shawn Johnson had a great night from the 3-point range. The other was against Michigan at Michigan.  It was Michigan's season opener and we won.  It was the first time in many years since Michigan lost a season opener.

Q: What was your favorite sports memory?
A: My career was just an enjoyable ride.

Q: What was it like playing in the NCAA Tournament?
A: It was great, especially for our program at that time.  Since the 1975 team went to the tournament. It wasn't a normal event for us to go the NCAA tournament. Winning the first game was big time for us.

Q: What did it feel like when Western beat Clemson in the first round of the NCAA tournament?
A: We beat them in the first round and we had a lot of motivation going into that game.  We got a video clip from one of their players who didn't know who we were and we felt kind of disrespected at the time so we went in there with a mindset to win.

Q: What do you know now as a coach that would have helped you as a player?
A: I credit Coach Donewald on teaching me the fundamentals and preparation. I try to share that with my student-athletes to try to get better.

Q: What was it like playing sports at Western?
A: It was great. My sophomore year was the first year we were in the new arena.  The fan base was pretty good at the time.  The whole college experience was great.  It was a great time just being in Kalamazoo. 

Q: What have you been doing since you have left Western and how long have you been doing it?
A: I played pro for seven years. I was drafted in the first round to Grand Rapids and half of my career playing throughout Europe.  Last five years I have been at Oakland University coaching.  I have been married for the last 11 years and a dad to two kids.

Q: What was your initial reaction when you found out that you were being inducted into the WMU Athletic Hall of Fame?
A: It was something I was really looking forward to, but when I got the call it caught me off guard.  I was honored and humbled.  I go in with such a great class of other student-athletes.  I was excited and overwhelmed at the same time.

Q: What does it mean to you for being inducted into the Hall of Fame?
A: I think for those who have the opportunity to go into any Hall of Fame it is an honor because it tells others that it represents a total body of work.  It represents a total career and a consistency where one has to compete and you are appreciated by others. Leaving a lasting imprint at Western is an honor for one to be granted.

Q: What kind of advice would you give to student-athletes to succeed in school and do well?
A: You have to have a plan and what it is you want to get out of life. You have to have a determined attitude to succeed. A lot of people are successful because they have the mindset to not fail.  You have to be consistent and work hard every day because nothing beats hard work at the end of the day. You have to handle life as it comes. 

Saddi would like to thank Western Michigan University and the Athletic department for giving him the opportunity to play basketball, a sport that he loves and enjoys.