Gonzaga's Anton Watson still has a chance to earn NBA Draft Combine invitation
After being snubbed by the NBA Draft Combine, former Gonzaga men's basketball star Anton Watson received an invitation to the G League Elite Camp over the weekend.
Watson was one of 44 players invited to the G League Camp, which takes place May 10-11 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. If Watson performs well he could earn an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine. According to the NBA, "a select number of standout players will be invited to participate in the 2024 NBA Draft Combine following that event."
Other notable players on the list include Santa Clara's Adama Bal, San Diego State Jaedon LeDee, Arizona's Caleb Love and Washington State teammates Jaylen Wells and Isaac Jones.
G League Elite Camp participant list. 44 players will scrimmage for two days in Chicago starting May 11. At least a half dozen will move on to the NBA Draft Combine. pic.twitter.com/izC0h0GuHW
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 4, 2024
Watson played in the G League Elite Camp last season. He participated in two scrimmages over two days, scoring a total of 22 points and shooting 3-for-4 from the 3-point line.
His measurements were a mixed bag. He measured 6-foot-7 without shoes and weighed in at 241.4 pounds. His wingspan was measured at 7-0, which is impressive length. His body fat (19.1%) was the worst of any player in attendance, and his max vertical jump of 29 inches was tied for the lowest mark with Michigan State's Joey Hauser and Weber State's Dillon James.
Watson used the feedback from last year's draft process to improve on every aspect of his game in 2023-24. He had six 20-point games, including two 32-point outings, and averaged a career-high 14.5 points on 10.0 field goal attempts per game. The ball found his hands more often in isolation down in the post and out on the perimeter, as he posted a career-high 20.8% usage rate.
Being more involved on offense didn’t limit Watson on the defensive end, as he averaged 1.5 steals and grabbed 7.1 rebounds as the primary defender against the opponent’s best offensive player.
Per Evan Miya, Watson had the fourth-highest Bayesian Performance Rating of any player in the country in 2023-24. BPR is a measurement of a player’s overall value to a team and takes into account one’s offensive and defensive performance rating. The three players with a higher BPR than Watson were named All-Americans: Purdue’s Zach Edey, UConn’s Donovan Clingan and Houston’s Jamal Shead.
“I think he’s a legitimate pro prospect,” Adam Morrison said on Gonzaga Nation. “I think he has legit 3-and-D potential. He’s got to be able to make corner 3s. He’s got to be willing to guard Kevin Durant and have him score 35, play every possession like it’s your last. So I think he has that chance 'cause he moves well enough, he’s big enough and there’s other guys with his frame and skillset that are playing in the league.”
GONZAGA NATION STAFF