Peyton Watson
Peyton Tyler Watson (born September 11, 2002[1]) is an American college basketball player for the UCLA Bruins of the Pac-12 Conference. He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top small forwards in the 2021 class.
![]() Watson with UCLA in 2021 | ||||||||||||||
| No. 23 – UCLA Bruins | ||||||||||||||
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| Position | Shooting guard / Small forward | |||||||||||||
| League | Pac-12 Conference | |||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | September 11, 2002 Beverly Hills, California | |||||||||||||
| Nationality | American | |||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| High school | Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, California) | |||||||||||||
| College | UCLA (2021–present) | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Medals
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High school career
Watson attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, California, joining the varsity team as a freshman.[2] After coming off the bench earlier in his career,[3] he assumed a leading role in his junior season.[4] He averaged 23.2 points and eight rebounds per game,[5] earning Moore League MVP honors.[6] He was named to the rosters for the McDonald's All-American, Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit.[7]
Recruiting
Watson was a consensus five-star recruit, one of the top small forwards and the highest-ranked player from California in the 2021 recruiting class.[8] On July 27, 2020, he committed to playing college basketball for UCLA over offers from Arizona, Gonzaga, Michigan, Oregon and Washington.[9]
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peyton Watson SF |
Long Beach, CA | Long Beach Poly (CA) | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | Jul 27, 2020 | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: | ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals: 12 247Sports: 8 ESPN: 12 | ||||||
Sources:
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National team career
Watson represented the United States at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Latvia. He averaged four points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, helping his team win the gold medal.[10]
Personal life
Watson's father, Julio, is a medical device representative, and his mother is an event planner. He has a younger brother, Christian, who plays basketball at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, and a younger sister, Jolie Grace.[11]
References
- "Peyton Watson". fiba.basketball. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
- Bien-Kahn, Joseph (June 11, 2020). "Peyton Watson's Crash Course in Stardom". Bleacher Report. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- Morales, Robert (December 30, 2019). "Long Beach Poly guard Peyton Watson helping young Jackrabbits grow". Press-Telegram. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- Guardabascio, Mike (July 9, 2019). "Next One Up: Peyton Watson, Long Beach Poly Basketball". The 562. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- "USA TODAY High School Sports Awards: Los Angeles boys basketball nominees". USA Today. April 22, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- Morales, Robert (April 23, 2021). "UCLA's tournament run brought joy to Long Beach Poly coach Shelton Diggs". Press-Telegram. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
- Guardabascio, Mike (February 24, 2021). "Long Beach Poly's Peyton Watson Named McDonald's All-American". The 562. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
- Bolch, Ben (July 27, 2020). "Familiarity breeds content as top prospect Peyton Watson picks UCLA". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- Borzello, Jeff (July 27, 2020). "Top California prospect Peyton Watson commits to UCLA". ESPN. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- "Peyton Watson (USA)'s profile – FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2021". FIBA. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
- Archbold, Rich (December 4, 2020). "Peyton Watson, Poly High star, helps Long Beach Boys & Girls Clubs; you can help, too!". Press-Telegram. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
