Peyton Watson has played a grand total of seven minutes during the Denver Nuggets' playoffs run, but it's not for a lack of talent. A former five star recruit who went to UCLA for one year, Watson was the 30th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Nuggets on draft night. Despite his pedigree, the 6'8 wing struggled to earn minutes off the bench this year. The Nuggets are too good to spend precious minutes trying to develop a young player potentially at the cost of winning games. Still, according to Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George, Watson has a chance to be a star in the NBA.
“I had a chance to compete with this kid this summer,” George said on the most recent episode of his podcast Podcast P with Paul George. “And I didn't know who he was, but he's competing and he's talking s***. He's trash talking and he's backing it up. He's showing well in the gym and I come to find out it's Payton Watson.”
While Watson was considered a raw prospect coming into the draft, George was most impressed by Peyton Watson's poise and skill rather than his athleticism. During his rookie season, Watson averaged 3.3 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. Accordingly, he appeared in just 23 of the Nuggets' 82 games. Still, George believes that playing time is the only thing holding Watson back.
“He's a 20 year old small forward, young cat,” the Clippers star elaborated. “But he's gonna be good. He's kind of got like a Brandon Ingram game. Long wing, he's got that like slow-paced game. He's long, he's tall, he can shoot over you, can handle it, three-point shot. I think he's gonna be a stud, but he's gotta wait his time. He's gonna be really good when he gets his opportunity. Just remember that name.”
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