NCAA Basketball: Top 10 players to wear jersey No. 22 in 2023-24 season
By Joey Loose
2. Anton Watson (Gonzaga)
Gonzaga has brought aboard a long list of talented forwards across their recent decades of success and Watson was simply the latest in line. He was a Top 50 prospect from Spokane who stayed right at home when he committed to the Bulldogs, growing from a bench piece to an important force with the program over the last half decade.
In what was his second season as a full-time starter for Gonzaga, Watson would average 14.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. Though this would be the rare season where the Bulldogs fell short of a WCC title, Watson played fantastically for the team. He was one of the league’s top scorers and rebounders, finished Top 3 in steals and field goal percentage, and nabbed First Team All-WCC honors.
His early highlight was a 32-point game against UCLA during the Maui Invitational, shooting an impressive 14 of 15 from the field. Watson later nearly matched that feat with 32 points at Santa Clara and played solidly down the stretch for the Bulldogs. Although Gonzaga fell short in the WCC Tournament, the team made the Sweet Sixteen once again, with Watson scoring 21 points in a second round victory over Kansas.