Friday, March 29

UCLA guard/forward Peyton Watson declares for 2022 NBA Draft


UCLA men’s basketball freshman guard/forward Peyton Watson leads a fast break in a game against California on Jan. 27. Watson announced his intentions to declare for the 2022 NBA Draft on Tuesday morning, finishing his time with the Bruins with career averages of 3.3 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. (Sakshi Joglekar/Assistant Photo editor)


The one-and-done era is back in Westwood.

UCLA men’s basketball freshman guard/forward Peyton Watson announced Tuesday morning that he is officially declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft, a decision posted on social media. Watson said he plans to sign with an agent, concluding his collegiate eligibility after one year in Westwood.

The guard/forward marks the first freshman to declare for the draft in coach Mick Cronin’s tenure with UCLA.

“After talking it over with my family, I have decided to enter the 2022 NBA Draft and hire an agent,” Watson wrote in a statement posted on Twitter and Instagram. “I’m excited for the next chapter and I’m ready to fulfill my lifelong goal of being an NBA player.”

The former five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American was Cronin’s highest-rated pledge at the time of his commitment and marked the sixth-best recruit in program history, according to 247Sports.

However, Watson played 12.6 minutes a night in his lone season with the blue and gold, finishing with career averages of 3.3 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. He scored in double figures three times, including a career-high 19 points in a game against Bellarmine early in the season.

Watson’s time on the court dwindled as the campaign went on, playing a combined 19 minutes across three NCAA Tournament games.

​​“We are very excited for Peyton,” Cronin said in a statement. “We all know he has tremendous upside as a basketball player, and we were fortunate to have him in Westwood. … He will always be a part of the Bruin family. We look forward to watching him and rooting for him as a professional for many years to come.”

A projected lottery pick before the season, Watson is not currently listed in ESPN’s most recent 2022 NBA Mock Draft.

“​​My experience at UCLA made me a better person and a better player,” Watson wrote. “Thank you to the UCLA coaching staff and my teammates for helping create memories I will carry with me for a lifetime.”

The Bruins are still waiting on professional decisions from a number of players, including junior guard Johnny Juzang and junior guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Sports senior staff

Christon is currently a Sports senior staff writer. He was previously the Sports editor on the men's basketball and football beats and the assistant Sports editor on the women's basketball, softball, men's tennis and women's tennis beats. Christon was previously a contributor on the women's basketball and softball beats.


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