G-Prep alumni Anton Watson, Anne McClain team up for Spokesman-Review Christmas card
Dec. 24—Two Gonzaga Prep alumni met for the first time at the Review Tower on Friday morning and exchanged some career-minded gifts.
Of course, these weren't just any Spokane natives. Astronaut Anne McClain, in the running to be the first woman to walk on the moon, and Gonzaga Bulldogs standout forward Anton Watson, once named Washington Mr. Basketball, donned the Santa suits for this year's Christmas card from The Spokesman-Review.
"It was nice to actually finally meet her," said Watson, the 22-year-old senior forward for the No. 11 Gonzaga men's basketball team. "She's funny, she's a really genuine person."
The out-of-this-world pair joined forces for the latest iteration of a Christmas Day frontpage tradition at The Spokesman-Review begun in 2016, joining columnist Shawn Vestal, chef Chad White, restaurant owner Celeste Shaw, Spokane Quaranteam creator Rick Clark, and professional window cleaners Travis Green and Geoff Morris as Santa stand-ins.
McClain graduated from G-Prep 22 years before her fellow Kris Kringle. But the Army veteran, who is among the crew for NASA's Artemis missions that will place humans back on the moon and, eventually, Mars, said she heard rumors of his prowess on the court long before he was appearing in Papa Murphy's commercials and dropping 17 points on Alabama.
"I started hearing his name when he was new at Prep," McClain said. "I had teachers that I knew, when he was a sophomore, saying, 'We got this kid, and he's so good.' "
Watson said he saw McClain come speak to students at Gonzaga Prep, but hadn't had the chance to meet her before the photo shoot on Friday. McClain was explaining the feeling of the suit she donned for her space walk while working on the International Space Station and the dimensions of the shuttle that took her there.
"So I can't be an astronaut?" the 6-foot, 8-inch Watson said, smiling.
"You'd challenge the engineering design limits," McClain said.
With the stint as Santa wrapped, Watson said he was looking forward to Christmas morning and opening the stockings at his house.
"There's so many things that come in them, gift cards and candy," Watson said. "(Santa) loads up the stockings. They're, like, 15 pounds."
McClain remembered her dad writing poems for the family at Christmas and reading them out loud.
"I remember him reading one about me careening down Mt. Spokane on skis," McClain said. "Those are the fond memories."
