Thunder Training Camp Profiles: Paul Watson Jr.
In the weeks leading up to the start of the 2021-22 season, the Oklahoma City Thunder are taking 20 players into training camp along with four preseason games. While many players have a roster spot solidified, there are a handful of guys who will be competing for either a spot on the roster or minutes in the regular season rotation.
Let’s take a look at Paul Watson Jr., who is among the players that will be interesting to watch over the next few weeks.
Player Bio
A 6-foot-6 guard, Watson Jr. joined the Thunder this summer on a two-way contract. Known for being a shooter, he converted on 46.9% of his 3-point attempts last season.
Watson Jr. will be 27 years old for the majority of the upcoming season, which is old relative to most of his teammates. He went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft, then spent time playing professionally in Germany. From there, he played for several G League teams, including the Westchester Knicks and Raptors 905.
Last season, Watson Jr. got his first real opportunity at the NBA level, playing for the Toronto Raptors. Through 27 games he averaged 4.1 points and 1.7 rebounds per contest.
Roster Outlook
Playing on a two-way deal will be a good opportunity for Watson Jr. in the upcoming season. Although he’s older than most of his peers, Oklahoma City felt he has the potential to be worth taking a chance on.
While Watson Jr. isn’t a long-term piece at this point, he is an excellent shooter that could help me both the Thunder and OKC Blue this season. With the ability to play the off-ball guard or on the wing, he should be competitive in training camp as he looks to show what he’s got.
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