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4 things to know about Celtics’ 2nd-round pick Anton Watson
Only John Stockton recorded more steals at Gonzaga than Watson.
A day after the Celtics bolstered their depth by drafting sharpshooter Baylor Schierman out of Creighton with the 30th overall pick, Brad Stevens and his staff added a versatile wing to their pipeline of talent.
Boston drafted Gonzaga wing Anton Watson with the 54th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft on Thursday, with the Celtics bringing in a fifth-year player with a high motor and plenty of upside as a tireless defender.
Here’s four things to know about Boston’s latest draft selection.
Watson was a versatile contributor for the Bulldogs in 2023-24
Much like Boston’s other 2024 draft selection in Schierman, Watson is one of the older players in his draft class, with the former Gonzaga stalwart set to turn 24 before the start of the Celtics’ 2024-25 season.
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A fifth-year player with Gonzaga, Watson — who hails from Spokane, Washington — developed into a Swiss Army knife for Mark Few and the Bulldogs during his final collegiate season.
An All-Conference First Team selection in the West Coast Conference (WCC), Watson ranked second on the Bulldogs last season in scoring (14.5 points per game) and rebounds (7.1 per game), while also averaging 2.6 assists (third on team) and 1.5 steals (first on team) per contest.
Watson finished with over 1,400 points, 700 rebounds, and 200 assists in college, with only Hall of Famer John Stockton recording more steals than Watson (215) during his time with the Bulldogs.
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During Watson’s five seasons with Gonzaga, the Bulldogs made four trips to the Sweet 16, including an appearance in the national championship game in 2021.
Watson’s strengths revolve around defense and finishing
While Boston clearly prioritized 3-point shooting with its selection of Schierman in the first round, the Celtics are banking on Watson’s defensive upside as a value add with pick No. 54.
Watson’s length (6-foot-8, 7-foot wingspan) allowed him to develop into a relentless on-ball defender during his time in college, with that high motor offering up hope that it can translate to the next level in due time.
“Versatile defender who spent time defending everyone from Zach Edey to scoring wings to small guards,” The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor said of Watson in his 2024 NBA Draft Guide. “Even though he’s quite large, he moves like a wing himself when navigating screens, so he should have positional range at the next level, too. Talented rim protector thanks to his feel, fundamentals, and length.”
O’Connor compared Watson’s game to “shades of old Al Horford”, harkening to his ability to defend both forwards and guards alike and his natural feel for the game on offense.
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Even though Watson’s overall toolkit on offense isn’t varied, he had a knack for converting at the rim with the Bulldogs. He shot 57.8 percent from the field last season — good for third overall in the WCC — and closed out his college career with a 58.6 percent field goal percentage over five seasons.
He has room to grow offensively
It’s all but a given that Watson’s ability to convert at the basket will take a hit at the next level.
As such, the 23-year-old wing will need to round out his overall skill set on offense if he wants to stick in the NBA ranks.
Unlike Schierman, Watson wasn’t exactly a threat from 3-point range during college, hitting just 30.7 percent of his attempts beyond the arc over five seasons at Gonzaga.
It should be noted that he made improvements in that department throughout his career, hitting 41.2 percent of his 3-pointers in 2023-24 off of 1.5 attempts per game.
Add in the fact that Watson only converted on 62.7 percent of his free throws at Gonzaga, and the versatile forward will need to make a concerted effort toward developing his overall game in the coming years.
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As intriguing as he might be on the defensive side of the ball, the Celtics can’t utilize him as a regular rotation player if he can’t offer much down the other end of the court.
He’s signed to Lil Wayne’s sports agency
In the lead up to the 2024 NBA Draft, Watson signed on with Young Money APAA Sports, a sports agency group founded by rapper Lil Wayne.
According to the agency’s website, Young Money APAA provides “a comprehensive suite of services, including contract negotiations, marketing and endorsement opportunities, financial planning, legal support, and career guidance.”
Previous clients for Young Money APAA include Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman, and former NBA big man Willie Cauley-Stein.
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