Player Analysis: Miami small forward commit Christian Watson

️ Christian Watson, a 6-foot-6 small forward out of Washington (D.C.) St. John’s, committed to Miami this month. Watson chose the Hurricanes over Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, Xavier, Rutgers, VCU, and Penn State. 

Here’s what makes Watson Special

Strength and Size 

At 6 foot 6, Watson has the prototypical body of a college wing player. Next year for the Hurricanes, his size will be a massive benefit in the pick and roll for coach Jim Larrañaga. In the Miami offense, he will be utilized to exploit mismatches with his ability body smaller wings in his position, taking them to the basket.  

Court Vision 

Watson has elite court vision. He has a variety of no-look, one-handed, and all-around flashy passes in his repertoire. Watson’s crafty ways of finding teammates is impressive, whether length of the court or finding a rolling big men.

Three-level Scorer

Unlike most coaches who use set plays, Larrañaga has an offense that relies heavily on players who can get buckets in one on one situations and pick and roll. This is a great benefit for Watson because he can score on all three levels. He has a deep range from three. He also is excellent at creating space with the side step and step-backs for midrange jumpers and when defenders overplay the jumper, he takes them to the basket. 

 NBA Comparison 

Lance Stephenson last played with Los Angelos Lakers. He is known for his shooting and elite ball-handling skills. Looking at Lance’s high school highlight tape, you can see many similarities in both players’ games. They both are 6 foot 6 strong bodied wing players that excel in the pick and roll and in isolation situations. Both players have deep range and have the ability to excite the crowd and be a fan favorites. Watson will be quick to win the crowd over in Miami with his flashy yet productive play style.