Neil Watson

{{Short description|American basketball player}}

{{for|the New Zealand politician|Neil Watson (politician)}}

{{Multiple issues|

{{BLP sources|date=April 2016}}

{{notability|Sports|date=April 2016}}

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{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Neil Watson

| image = Neil Watson.jpg

| caption = Watson with Southern Miss in 2013

| number = 5

| position = Point guard

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 11

| weight_lb = 161

| league =

| team =

| nationality = American

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1991|02|02}}

| birth_place = Kansas City, Kansas, U.S.

| high_school = Sumner Academy
(Kansas City, Kansas)

| college =

| draft_year = 2014

| career_start = 2014

| career_end =

| years1 = 2014–2016

| team1 = Leicester Riders

| years2 = 2016

| team2 = Glasgow Rocks

| years3 = 2017

| team3 = Plymouth Raiders

| highlights =

}}

Neil Watson (born February 2, 1991) is an American former professional basketball player who is currently an assistant coach for Park University.{{Cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6843874874860081152/|title=I'm the new assistant coach at park university|access-date=2021-11-02|language=en}} He competed in college basketball for the University of Southern Mississippi.

Early life and education

Watson was born on February 2, 1991, in Kansas City, Kansas. He attended college at Coffeyville Community College and the University of Southern Mississippi.{{Cite web|url=http://www.southernmiss.com/neilwatson/school-bio.html|title=Southern Miss Neil Watson :: Official Athletic Site|website=www.southernmiss.com|language=en|access-date=2018-02-14}}

Career

Out of high school, Watson tried out for the Toledo men's basketball team but was rejected. He transferred to the University of Southern Mississippi under coach Larry Eustachy. Watson's first season with the Golden Eagles resulted in an NCAA Tournament berth along with other starters Maurice Bolden (Sr.) Angelo Johnson (Sr.) Dwayne Davis (Jr.) and Johnathan Mills (Jr.). The Golden Eagles finished 25–9, losing in the first round to the Kansas State Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}

In Watson's junior season, he carried the Golden Eagles with 9 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals per game. The Golden Eagles lost the Conference USA championship to the Memphis Tigers in double overtime. Watson led the Golden Eagles to the NIT quarterfinal, which they lost to the BYU Cougars. Watson had his best season in his senior year and led the Golden Eagles, averaging 11 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals per game. He was also fourth in the nation in free-throw percentage with 92%.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}} The Golden Eagles made another NIT tournament but lost to the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the quarterfinals. After the loss, Watson was named a starter in the Reese's NCAA Basketball All-Star game.

Watson was not drafted or signed by any NBA or development league roster but was named on the U.K.'s oldest professional basketball team, the Leicester Riders.{{Cite news|url=http://www.southernmiss.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/072314aaa.html|title=Watson Signs with Leicester Riders|access-date=2018-02-14|language=en}} He departed the Riders at the end of the 2015–16 season{{Cite news|url=http://www.leicesterriders.co.uk/news/riders-bid-farewell-to-neil-watson/|title=Riders Bid Farewell to Neil Watson|date=2016-07-29|work=Leicester Riders|access-date=2018-02-14|language=en-US}} eventually joining Glasgow Rocks also in the British Basketball League (BBL).{{Cite news|url=http://bbl.org.uk/neil-watson-rides-into-town/|title=Neil Watson rides into town - BBL - British Basketball League|date=2016-07-29|work=BBL - British Basketball League|access-date=2018-02-14|language=en-US}}

At the start of the 2017 season, Watson joined the Plymouth Raiders.{{Cite news|url=https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sport/other-sport/plymouth-raiders-add-bbl-champion-312377|title=Plymouth Raiders add BBL champion Neil Watson to their roster|last=Ball|first=Jak|date=2017-08-11|work=plymouthherald|access-date=2018-02-14}} On February 14, 2018, it was announced that Neil Watson had been released after testing positive for a banned substance. {{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/basketball/43062524|title=Plymouth Raiders trio sacked for breaching banned substances policy|date=2018-02-14|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2018-02-14|language=en-GB}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sport/plymouth-raiders-sack-three-players-1214444|title=Plymouth Raiders sack three players after they fail drugs tests|last=James|first=Stuart|date=2018-02-14|work=plymouthherald|access-date=2018-02-14}}

References

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