Recent developments in college basketball surrounding NIL have shifted the basketball landscape. More NBA hopefuls are returning to college basketball, electing to earn their money in college and hopefully improve their stock instead of leaving for the draft as a late pick.
Florida State wing Jamir Watkins is a primary example of this, as one of the few remaining players who hasn’t made a firm decision yet. The 6’7 wing has his name in the transfer portal, but went through the NBA combine process. It’s looking increasingly likely that Watkins spurns the league again to return to the NCAA.
Watkins will turn 24 shortly after the NBA Draft, which likely factors into his lack of draft buzz. According to Rookie Scale’s consensus big board, Watkins projects as a late second-round pick. He’s talented enough to contribute on an NBA floor, but it makes sense that he’d rather chase certainty in college and hope to enter the NBA next season.
Where will Watkins end up?
Early in the process, it was reported that three schools — Kentucky, Illinois and Louisville — were most heavily pursuing Watkins. In the month since that report, plenty of transfer dominoes fell for all three of those schools. Both Kentucky and Illinois added one or multiple wings, making Watkins an unlikely fit. Louisville added a few high-profile guards, but could possibly fit another wing player like Watkins.
Recently, North Carolina has been linked to Watkins, which especially makes sense if Drake Powell leaves for the NBA Draft. Aside from former West Virginia wing Jonathan Powell, most of Hubert Davis’s additions came in the guard room or frontcourt. Watkins is certainly talented enough to start for a Tar Heels team hoping to return to the NCAA Tournament.
If Watkins wants to play close to his hometown of Trenton, New Jersey, it’s possible a school like Rutgers would have interest in him. The Scarlet Knights lost tons of talent to the NBA Draft and transfer portal this offseason and only added a few mid-major transfers. A high-profile player like Watkins would instantly become their best player, offering him a chance to produce big numbers.
He averaged 18.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Seminoles last season. His efficiency slightly dipped from the previous season, but his enormous 30.3% usage rate can help explain that drop. He’s added more live dribble passing and scoring tools throughout his college career.
Watkins’s diverse skillset should allow him to slot in and add value to whatever his future team is, whether that be North Carolina, an NBA team or an unexpected college team. His expanded creation, combined with great athleticism and defense, will help Watkins return to a star-level impact at the college level next season if he chooses that route.
