The Boston Celtics drafted Anton Watson with the 54th pick of the 2024 NBA draft. Watson is a 6’8” forward out of Gonzaga, playing five years for the Bulldogs. In his last two seasons with Gonzaga, Watson started in every game. Gonzaga was very successful during Anton Watson’s tenure, making multiple deep tournament runs in March Madness. Now, Watson finds himself on another successful basketball program, the defending champion Boston Celtics. With training camp and the 2024-25 NBA season approaching, there is much speculation on the role of new players like Anton Watson, and how they will fit with the Boston Celtics.
Anton Watson’s College Career
In his final season at Gonzaga, Anton Watson averaged 14.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game. He shot 57.8% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 60.8%. At 6’8”, Watson offers good strength, size, and length on defense. In the West Coast Conference, Watson finished in the top 10 in steals per game in four of his five seasons. He also finished in the top 15 in blocks per game in three seasons. With this defensive ability, many hoped that heading into the NBA draft, Watson could eventually find a role as a 3 & D player, if his offense can take that next step.
The perimeter was not a common place for Watson when he first arrived at Gonzaga, but the forward began taking more threes during his tenure. In his final season, Watson shot 51 threes, 1.5 per game, at 41.2%. 41.2% is a very efficient number, but it is also a low volume. Take fellow Celtics rookie Baylor Scheierman for example, who shot 38.1% from three, but took 289 threes, 8.3 per game. So, if 3 & D is the role the Celtics envision for Anton Watson, that three-point volume will need to increase while maintaining a solid efficiency. But, if there is any team that can effectively build up three-point volume, it is Joe Mazzulla’s Boston Celtics.
Anton Watson’s Role on the Celtics
Anton Watson’s role on the Celtics is an interesting one to speculate. As a second-round draft pick, he may not get significant playing time during his rookie year, but his development will be intriguing to follow. He is a tall forward with the ability to switch and defend multiple positions. In the Celtics defensive scheme that involves excessive switching, Watson’s defensive versatility could be a valuable asset.
The only problem is that the Boston Celtics are relatively deep at the forward position. Their two stars, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, are forwards, as well as Sam Hauser off the bench. Then there are other young players like Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh, who will be fighting for playing time. So, the minutes may not come right away for Watson. He may spend his first season in the G-League like Jordan Walsh did in his rookie season. But, if he can improve his shooting and offensive game while maintaining his defensive skillset at an NBA level, then that time in the G-League may be short-lived.
Many Celtics players have spent time in the G-League with the Maine Celtics, such as Sam Hauser and Robert Williams. So, if that is where Anton Watson ends up after training camp, he can always work his way up to the Boston Celtics roster, while getting time to develop.
Final Thoughts
With the Boston Celtics training camp getting closer, it will be time for the second-round pick, Anton Watson to prove himself. As training camp and preseason begin, it will become clear whether the Gonzaga prospect is ready to surprise people and play on the Celtics 15-man roster, or if he needs time to develop in the G-League.
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