Nate Watson

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Nate Watson

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| position = Center

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 10

| weight_lbs = 260

| league = Liga ACB

| team = Casademont Zaragoza

| number = 9

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|10|19}}

| birth_place = Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S.

| high_school =

Churchland
(Portsmouth, Virginia)
Capitol Christian Academy
(Upper Marlboro, Maryland)
Bishop O'Connell
(Arlington, Virginia)

| college = Providence (2017–2022)

| draft_year = 2022

| career_start = 2022

| career_end =

| years1 = 2022–2023

| team1 = Nymburk

| years2 = 2023–2024

| team2 = FMP

| years3 = 2024–2025

| team3 = Karditsa

| years4 = 2025–present

| team4 = Zaragoza

| highlights =

2x Second-team All-Big East (2021, 2022)
Big East All-Freshman Team (2018)

| medal_templates =

{{MedalCountry|the {{USA}}}}

}}

Junathaen D. "Nate" Watson Jr. (born October 19, 1998) is an American basketball player for Casademont Zaragoza of the Spanish Liga ACB. He played college basketball for the Providence Friars.

High school career

Watson played basketball for Capitol Christian Academy in Upper Marlboro, Maryland before moving to Bishop O'Connell High School in Arlington, Virginia. His transfer was hindered by a financial dispute involving his former school, causing him to miss three days of school.{{cite news |last1=Giannotto |first1=Mark |title=Basketball prospect Nate Watson's transfer from Capitol Christian to O'Connell hindered by financial dispute |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/highschools/basketball-prospect-nate-watsons-transfer-from-capitol-christian-to-oconnell-hindered-by-financial-dispute/2015/09/23/3332e1a0-6210-11e5-8e9e-dce8a2a2a679_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=May 27, 2021 |date=September 23, 2015}} At Bishop O'Connell, Watson was a two-time First Team All-Washington Catholic Athletic Conference selection.{{cite web |last1=McFadden |first1=Ryan |title=2017 WCAC Boys Basketball All-Conference First Team |url=https://insidethelockerroom.net/2017/03/01/2017-wcac-boys-basketball-all-conference-first-team/ |website=Inside the Locker Room |access-date=May 27, 2021 |date=March 1, 2017}} He competed for DC Premier on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit.{{cite news |last1=Parker |first1=Brandon |title=O'Connell's Nate Watson draws invite to NBPA Top 100 and attention from Kansas, North Carolina, among others |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/recruiting-insider/wp/2016/05/13/oconnells-nate-watson-draws-invite-to-nbpa-top-100-and-attention-from-kansas-north-carolina-among-others/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=May 27, 2021 |date=May 13, 2016}} A consensus four-star recruit, he committed to playing college basketball for Providence over offers from Maryland, NC State and Miami (Florida).{{cite web |last1=McNamara |first1=Kevin |title=PC recruit Nate Watson helps make Cooleys birthday a happy one |url=https://www.providencejournal.com/sports/20160910/pc-recruit-nate-watson-helps-make-cooleys-birthday-happy-one |website=The Providence Journal |access-date=May 27, 2021 |date=September 10, 2016 |archive-date=September 13, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913135555/http://www.providencejournal.com/sports/20160910/pc-recruit-nate-watson-helps-make-cooleys-birthday-happy-one |url-status=live }}

College career

As a freshman at Providence, Watson averaged 6.8 points and 1.9 rebounds per game and was named to the Big East All-Freshman Team.{{cite web |last1=McNamara |first1=Kevin |title=PC at Butler: Despite dreary season for Friars, Watson has sparkled |url=https://www.providencejournal.com/sports/20190225/pc-at-butler-despite-dreary-season-for-friars-watson-has-sparkled |website=The Providence Journal |access-date=May 27, 2021 |date=February 25, 2019}} In his sophomore season, he averaged 11.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.{{cite web |last1=McNamara |first1=Kevin |title=PC's Nate Watson named to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Watch List |url=https://www.providencejournal.com/sports/20191018/pcs-nate-watson-named-to-kareem-abdul-jabbar-watch-list |website=The Providence Journal |access-date=May 27, 2021 |date=October 18, 2019 |archive-date=February 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225163952/https://www.providencejournal.com/sports/20191018/pcs-nate-watson-named-to-kareem-abdul-jabbar-watch-list |url-status=live }} He missed the beginning of his junior season with a knee injury, averaging nine points and 4.6 rebounds per game.{{cite web |last1=Farrahar |first1=Kevin |title=How Did Nate Watson's Knee Impact his Junior Year? |url=http://friarbasketball.com/2020/06/29/nate-watsons-knee-impact-junior-year/ |website=Friar Basketball |access-date=May 27, 2021 |date=June 29, 2020 |archive-date=September 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928104611/https://friarbasketball.com/2020/06/29/nate-watsons-knee-impact-junior-year/ |url-status=live }}

Watson assumed a leading role in his senior season.{{cite web |last1=McNamara |first1=Kevin |title=Nate Watson is thriving even without his biggest fan in the stands |url=https://www.kevinmcsports.com/pc-friars/nate-watson-is-thriving-even-without-his-biggest-fan-in-the-stands/ |website=Kevin McSports |access-date=May 27, 2021 |date=February 26, 2021 |archive-date=April 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417052330/https://www.kevinmcsports.com/pc-friars/nate-watson-is-thriving-even-without-his-biggest-fan-in-the-stands/ |url-status=live }} On February 6, 2021, he recorded a career-high 30 points and eight rebounds in a 92–81 loss to St. John's.{{cite web |title=College Basketball: Friars' Watson opts to return to team |url=https://www.thesunchronicle.com/sports/local_sports/college-basketball-friars-watson-opts-to-return-to-team/article_98f4ef68-1b14-5641-ac29-c23c06a5d2a7.html |website=The Sun Chronicle |access-date=May 27, 2021 |date=March 17, 2021 |archive-date=March 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318124528/https://www.thesunchronicle.com/sports/local_sports/college-basketball-friars-watson-opts-to-return-to-team/article_98f4ef68-1b14-5641-ac29-c23c06a5d2a7.html |url-status=live }} As a senior, Watson averaged 16.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, earning Second Team All-Big East honors. He opted to return to Providence for a fifth season, using an extra year of eligibility granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |title=Nate Watson To Return For His Fifth Season |url=https://friars.com/news/2021/3/17/mens-basketball-nate-watson-to-return-for-his-fifth-season.aspx |website=Providence College Athletics |access-date=May 27, 2021 |date=March 17, 2021 |archive-date=March 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210317183227/https://friars.com/news/2021/3/17/mens-basketball-nate-watson-to-return-for-his-fifth-season.aspx |url-status=live }} Watson was again named to the Second Team All-Big East.{{cite news |title=PC basketball's Nate Watson, Jared Bynum named to All-Big East second team |url=https://www.providencejournal.com/story/sports/college/2022/03/06/providence-basketball-nate-watson-jared-bynum-all-big-east-second-team/9404064002/ |access-date=March 6, 2022 |work=The Providence Journal |date=March 6, 2022 |archive-date=March 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307014534/https://www.providencejournal.com/story/sports/college/2022/03/06/providence-basketball-nate-watson-jared-bynum-all-big-east-second-team/9404064002/ |url-status=live }}

Professional career

=ERA Basketball Nymburk (2022–2023)=

On August 3, 2022, he signed with ERA Nymburk of the Czech National Basketball League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nymburk.basketball/clanek.asp?lang=cz&id=WATSON-POSILOU-POD-KOS-5050|title=Watson Posilou Pod Koš|last=|first=|date=August 3, 2022|website=|publisher=Sportando|language=En|access-date=August 14, 2022|archive-date=August 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814132229/https://nymburk.basketball/clanek.asp?lang=cz&id=WATSON-POSILOU-POD-KOS-5050|url-status=live}}

=AS Karditsa Iaponiki (2024–2025)=

On June 26, 2024, Watson signed with Greek club Karditsa.{{cite web |title=Nate Watson (ex FMP BG) signs at Karditsas |url=https://www.eurobasket.com/Greece/news/878462/Nate-Watson-(ex-FMP-BG)-signs-at-Karditsas |website=www.eurobasket.com |access-date=13 February 2025}} On December 3, 2024, Watson received a Hoops Agents Player of the Week award for Round 8. He had a game-high 22 points and 9 rebounds.{{cite web |title=Nate Watson claims Greek GBL weekly honour |url=https://www.eurobasket.com/Greece/news/905028/Nate-Watson-claims-Greek-GBL-weekly-honour |website=www.eurobasket.com |access-date=13 February 2025}}

=Casademont Zaragoza (2025–present)=

On February 10, 2025, Watson signed with Basket Zaragoza of the Liga ACB until 2027. He was brought in the club as a replacement for Jilson Bango.{{cite web |title=Nate Watson officially joins Zaragoza until 2027 |url=https://www.eurohoops.net/en/acb/1783937/nate-watson-officially-joins-zaragoza-until-2027/ |website=Eurohoops |access-date=13 February 2025 |language=en |date=10 February 2025}}

National team career

Watson represented the United States at the 2019 Pan American Games in Peru, helping his team win the bronze medal.{{cite web |title=Nate Watson – Men's Basketball.|url=https://friars.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/nate-watson/5328 |website=Providence College Athletics |access-date=May 28, 2021}}