Penn State Basketball’s Watkins Cited for Disorderly Conduct

Updated with comment from a team spokesperson.

Penn State basketball forward Mike Watkins has had another brush with the law.

At 2:41 a.m. on Sept. 29, Watkins allegedly punched another male in the face with a closed fist, knocking him to the ground, after the male confronted Watkins about cutting to the front of the line at McDonald’s, 442 E. College Ave. Watkins then fled the scene, according to State College police.

Police filed a citation against Watkins on Oct. 1 for a summary offense of disorderly conduct/engaged in fighting, as first reported by the Daily Collegian. The 23-year-old redshirt junior from Philadelphia has not yet entered a plea.

In July, Watkins was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana after Penn State police, investigating a report of a possible unregistered firearm, allegedly found a metal grinder inside his team-issued duffle bag. Three .40 caliber rounds also were found in the bag, but no gun was found and Watkins produced a concealed carry permit, according to police.

He waived his arraignment in that case and a pre-trial conference is scheduled for November.

But those aren’t the only legal troubles Watkins is facing.

In September 2016, Watkins was charged with criminal mischief and disorderly conduct for allegedly smashing a window at Baby’s Burgers & Shakes in State College. He was accepted into an accelerated rehabilitative disposition program in December 2016, but in May 2018 a Centre County judge revoked his participation in ARD for failure to comply with conditions of the program.

The case was returned to the Court of Common Pleas, and in September a bench warrant was issued for Watkins after he failed to show up for a required court appearance, according to court documents. No subsequent action is listed in court records.

Watkins also was charged with a summary offense of disorderly conduct for fighting in 2017 and entered a guilty plea. He was suspended for the first game of last season for a violation of team rules.

As a redshirt sophomore in 2017-18, Watkins was a starter who notched 68 blocks total and 12.1 points per game. He missed the last nine games of the season with a knee injury.

Watkins is a criminology major.

“Everyone in our program must meet the standards and expectations we have established for Penn State Basketball,’ a team spokesperson said in a statement. ‘We are aware of this situation, are still gathering information and do not have any further comment.”