Appreciation Thread, Anton Watson (Boston/Maine) – (Waived March 2, 2025)

[sam_I_am]

Some players look two years away from being two years away. This pic looks more like he is two years away from being gone Answer retirement

Yeah. I'd feel better if these Guys were 19 when they come in, instead of 24.
Give them some time to develop at the NBA level. Starting at 24 though, IDK.

Scheirman and Watson right now are 23 yrs old.

Age when they were drafted:

Derrick white - 23
Fred VanVleet - 22
Austin Reaves - 23
Herb Jones - 22
Alex Caruso - 22
Sam Hauser - 23
Kenrich Williams - 23
Malcolm Brogdon - 23
Caleb Martin - 23
Jaime Jaquez - 22
Max Strus - 23
Payton Pritchard - 22
Duncan Robinson - 24
Cam Johnson - 22
Pascal Siakam - 22
Andrew Nembhard - 22
Buddy Hield - 23

A lot of the super young guys we have tried to draft haven't worked out so well (Madar, Begarin, Langford, Walsh, Davison, etc.)

Sam Hauser was 23 when he wasn’t drafted. Just nitpicking, because I agree with sentiment. Drafting older ready to play now can lead to picking guys like JR Giddens over DeAndre Jordan. That said, I love both picks. Never heard of Watkins before but watching highlights I have to say I love his game. If he can hold his own athletically with NBA players he could be a nice role player.

[Fencer reregistered]

Some players look two years away from being two years away. This pic looks more like he is two years away from being gone Answer retirement :D

Did your spell checker get drunk?

[playa-hater]

Some players look two years away from being two years away. This pic looks more like he is two years away from being gone Answer retirement :D

Did your spell checker get drunk?

Nah..business as usual

[Moochiefried]

A few takes from a Gonzaga fan:

- His feel for the game and passing ability is high level. Definitely not flashy, but he just makes the right play the majority of the time.
- He's excellent defensively. His one 99th percentile NBA attribute are his hands defensively. A bit like a Mattise Thybulle in his ability to strip the ball and get deflections. He's hypothetically a 1-5 defender, but of course the quickest guards and the most physically imposing centers will be a challenge for him.
- The three point shot is a real concern IMO. His percentages went up every year at Gonzaga, but the volume was always low and I was holding my breath every time he put one up. He wasn't a consistent free throw shooter either. If he's gonna stick in the league, he needs to improve a lot as a shooter because I don't know how playable he is on offense right now.
- There was a bit more NBA buzz about Watson coming out of high school even though he was a four star prospect. He dealt with shoulder dislocations early on in his college career and many felt like his confidence was slightly shaken post injury, but he continued to get more and more assertive over the course of his 5 years at Gonzaga. I feel like he's still on an upward trajectory developmentally and there's more potential to be tapped.

[playa-hater]

A few takes from a Gonzaga fan:

- His feel for the game and passing ability is high level. Definitely not flashy, but he just makes the right play the majority of the time.
- He's excellent defensively. His one 99th percentile NBA attribute are his hands defensively. A bit like a Mattise Thybulle in his ability to strip the ball and get deflections. He's hypothetically a 1-5 defender, but of course the quickest guards and the most physically imposing centers will be a challenge for him.
- The three point shot is a real concern IMO. His percentages went up every year at Gonzaga, but the volume was always low and I was holding my breath every time he put one up. He wasn't a consistent free throw shooter either. If he's gonna stick in the league, he needs to improve a lot as a shooter because I don't know how playable he is on offense right now.
- There was a bit more NBA buzz about Watson coming out of high school even though he was a four star prospect. He dealt with shoulder dislocations early on in his college career and many felt like his confidence was slightly shaken post injury, but he continued to get more and more assertive over the course of his 5 years at Gonzaga. I feel like he's still on an upward trajectory developmentally and there's more potential to be tapped.

Thanks for this write up.. The fact that you say He can defend almost 1 to 5 is impressive alone.. Sadly I love to have shooters and at this point he doesn't seem like it will be his strength.. But since he will not be expected to break rotation at the very least perhaps he can focus his full-time on becoming the shooter that Boston seems to want...

At minimum I'm warming up to his draft pick more than when it was first announced..

[Shak_Celts]

So, I stopped being lazy (slightly), I’m now saying he’s a steal… the defense is making me hot!

[165bows]

A few takes from a Gonzaga fan:

- His feel for the game and passing ability is high level. Definitely not flashy, but he just makes the right play the majority of the time.
- He's excellent defensively. His one 99th percentile NBA attribute are his hands defensively. A bit like a Mattise Thybulle in his ability to strip the ball and get deflections. He's hypothetically a 1-5 defender, but of course the quickest guards and the most physically imposing centers will be a challenge for him.
- The three point shot is a real concern IMO. His percentages went up every year at Gonzaga, but the volume was always low and I was holding my breath every time he put one up. He wasn't a consistent free throw shooter either. If he's gonna stick in the league, he needs to improve a lot as a shooter because I don't know how playable he is on offense right now.
- There was a bit more NBA buzz about Watson coming out of high school even though he was a four star prospect. He dealt with shoulder dislocations early on in his college career and many felt like his confidence was slightly shaken post injury, but he continued to get more and more assertive over the course of his 5 years at Gonzaga. I feel like he's still on an upward trajectory developmentally and there's more potential to be tapped.

Thanks for this write up.. The fact that you say He can defend almost 1 to 5 is impressive alone.. Sadly I love to have shooters and at this point he doesn't seem like it will be his strength.. But since he will not be expected to break rotation at the very least perhaps he can focus his full-time on becoming the shooter that Boston seems to want...

At minimum I'm warming up to his draft pick more than when it was first announced..

I’d say the other piece if good news is that he grades out well offensively despite the shooting and not being a real volume scorer. Near 2:1 A:TO ratio, efficient scorer inside the arc, very high offensive rating due to his efficient use of shots overall. It’s kind of hard to have a career 126 Ortg while not being a good free throw shooter and three point shooter or volume scorer but he’s just pretty darn efficient at everything else he does.

[Fencer reregistered]

Read on Twitter

This guy has Watson ranked as the 25th best prospect in this draft class:

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Read on Twitter

he said he's like baylor, tough and good bball IQ.

Idiosyncratic rankings, in a vacuum. I think he had mulitple lottery picks in the 40ish range, shortly behind Baylor at 36.

[Hal14]

Read on Twitter

This guy has Watson ranked as the 25th best prospect in this draft class:

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

he said he's like baylor, tough and good bball IQ.

Idiosyncratic rankings, in a vacuum. I think he had mulitple lottery picks in the 40ish range, shortly behind Baylor at 36.

He wasn't trying to predict the order of the draft picks. It was his personal big board - so his ranking of the prospects in this draft class.

Apparently he sees Watson as a better prospect than Scheierman.

Many lottery picks end up being busts in the NBA..while guys picked in the 40's or 50's can end up being better NBA players than them.

[Hal14]

Watching this..I feel like Brad could have probably said the exact same thing about Grant when we drafted him..Tillman when we traded for him..and Al (before he started to really take off as a shooter).

Read on Twitter

Brad has a type.

These 6'6" - 6'9" guys, PF/small ball 5 types. Who are strong as heck, can really move their. feet on D, can defend 1-5, can switch..Not the most athletic players but make up for it in other areas, high IQ, tough, strong, guys who will get in there and battle, grinders, good defenders..good passers who can handle the ball a bit, and show potential as a shooter - and Brad has confidence in the C's ability to develop guys as shooters..and if he sees that a guy has decent enough form, has at least shown the ability to hit some 3's in college and if he sees they have the work ethic, he thinks they can (over time) become a good shooter..

Al became an elite shooter. So did Grant.

Tillman already in a short time in Boston seemed to improve as a shooter too..

[Dogen]

Watching this..I feel like Brad could have probably said the exact same thing about Grant when we drafted him..Tillman when we traded for him..and Al (before he started to really take off as a shooter).

Read on Twitter

Brad has a type.

These 6'6" - 6'9" guys, PF/small ball 5 types. Who are strong as heck, can really move their. feet on D, can defend 1-5, can switch..Not the most athletic players but make up for it in other areas, high IQ, tough, strong, guys who will get in there and battle, grinders, good defenders..good passers who can handle the ball a bit, and show potential as a shooter - and Brad has confidence in the C's ability to develop guys as shooters..and if he sees that a guy has decent enough form, has at least shown the ability to hit some 3's in college and if he sees they have the work ethic, he thinks they can (over time) become a good shooter..

Al became an elite shooter. So did Grant.

Tillman already in a short time in Boston seemed to improve as a shooter too..

And also Brad: "I want him to come in here with the mindset to let it fly like he's never let it fly before. Because I think he's a better shooter than he sometimes thinks he is."

How many draftees have longed to hear those magic words from a new GM on their honeymoon night?

[Fierce1]

"I want him to come in here with the mindset to let it fly like he's never let it fly before.

Brad Stevens Basketball.

Only reason why Joe was hired.

Brad can now say his system works.

[Hal14]

Read on Twitter

[Shak_Celts]

he said he's like baylor, tough and good bball IQ.

Idiosyncratic rankings, in a vacuum. I think he had mulitple lottery picks in the 40ish range, shortly behind Baylor at 36.

He wasn't trying to predict the order of the draft picks. It was his personal big board - so his ranking of the prospects in this draft class.

Apparently he sees Watson as a better prospect than Scheierman.

Many lottery picks end up being busts in the NBA..while guys picked in the 40's or 50's can end up being better NBA players than them.

so, you’re saying we drafted skinny Luka and someone better? Brad may be the goat of all goat executives!

[DelMonte West]

Sounds a lot like Ryan Gomes. 2nd round, high IQ pick, good motor, rebounder, decent shooter, not a great athlete but can still play a physical game.

[bigfoot_cryptozoology]

He's likely to have a longer NBA career than Davison, Bergeron and Madar....

[return2glory]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Anton Watson. I haven't been home all day. I recorded the 2nd round of the draft and didn't check my phone all day.

Watson was the player I posted about in the Baylor Scheierman thread yesterday and our draft thread.

Brad Stevens needs to put me on the Celtics payroll.

Watson is the player I've watched most of any player in this years draft. I've been watching him over the last 3 years.
I saw him live when Gonzaga played against Pepperdine last year when they came out here (LA area).
He was my main sleeper in the 2nd round. Glad he was available at 54. I didn't see 1 mock draft having him even go in the 2nd round.
I would have taken him early in the 2nd if we were picking that early.

He is a really good, all around PF. He has improved his game each season. A player that can do a lot of things well. SL is going to be fun now with the additions of our two rookies.

For anyone who hasn't seen Anton Watson play, he can play. His game is kind of like a cross between Slow Mo and Tillman, but a more athletic version. He is Fast Mo. My sleeper for round two. Brad, someone on your staff is reading my posts lol. Last year I liked Drew Peterson as my sleeper, this year Anton Watson.

Someone here mentioned Lamar Stevens as a comp. You are really underestimating Lamar's athletic ability. Lamar is freaking athletic. Watson is solid athletically.

[shi-woo]

I like the pick, he's an experienced player who has played on a team that made it to a title game. Crazy to think half that Gonzaga team made it to the league. Which I think boads well for Anton, he's seen, been around, and played against solid NBA talent his whole career. Chet, Suggs, Nembhard, and others. I don't think his stats will do him any justice, he was playing with legit NBA players and Timme for the majority of his career in college.

I think he's a player that knows what he needs to do to contribute to basketball games. He has the same build as Aaron Gordon coming out, minus the hops. He reminds me a lot of the Martins coming out too, obviously Cody not Caleb. Cody was a versatile player in college, was a 5 year senior, and did a little bit of everything while struggling to shoot it from distance.

If this guy can come in and give us spot minutes at the 3 and 4, play with energy and learn the defense quick, he has the potential to be a success story as a 2nd pick.

I see his role on offense similar to what Aaron Gordon's is, living in transition, easy cuts, and passes to the dunkers spot.

I think we drafted Hausers replacement in the first, and Brissets replacement in the 2nd. This team will draft Al's next year

[Patsfan1081]

Some players look two years away from being two years away. This pic looks more like he is two years away from being gone Answer retirement

Yeah. I'd feel better if these Guys were 19 when they come in, instead of 24.
Give them some time to develop at the NBA level. Starting at 24 though, IDK.

Comanche was there for the taking if the wanted a raw big but they didn’t work him or really any project big out.

[Shak_Celts]

What is wrong with this guy that I don’t know? He has a hook-shot from every angle, floater, fadeaway, midrange, take you off the drible, thunderous dunks, and cant hit the three! He has touch and knows how to use the glass. He can pass and knows how to position himself and direct his teammates on offense! Sets screens. Can roll! He’s not fast but has a quick first step. Gives excellent passing angles for his guys to get him the ball! He is tough, goes through folks chest without being knocked off square! Looks like he just KNOWS what to do offensively like a big PG without the body. He’s always moving! Then he’s a switchable defender, who steals the ball like someone took it from his mother! Edit: not a dunker but has some nice ones that look easy.

He seems like an offensive beast! Wth am i missing?! I was impressed with his D potential but man this dude is an offensive sleeper!!! I deadass kept saying, “oh, thats in his bag too?!” He’s so versatile, he could have had more offensive responsibilities! Every shot he takes is easy/smooth make or miss! He is never rushed! He has solid handles!

I must be going crazy?!! I’m actually shocked.