Anton Watson is the latest proof Gonzaga 'can develop and help players' reach the NBA

Just days before the 2024 NBA Draft, Fox Sports Research sought to answer the long-winded debate over which college basketball programs are the best at producing NBA players.

Most arguments around the topic are subjective with no real substance. But this accounted for every aspect of a player’s career — individual and team awards, statistical averages, draft position — and when the dust settled and the numbers were crunched, the usual suspects were at the top (UCLA, Duke, Kansas and Kentucky in that order) followed by the powerhouse from the West Coast Conference, the Gonzaga Bulldogs, at No. 5.

The Zags have had nine players selected in the first round since 2013, and of the 10 alums who are currently in the NBA, seven were selected with a top-15 pick in the draft. On opening day of the 2023-24 season, Gonzaga was tied for the sixth-most NBA players on an active roster. When looking at player contracts, the school has produced the third-most highest-earning NBA players in the league, with five of the top 150 highest-paid players coming from Gonzaga.

After the 2024 draft, add Anton Watson to the list of current alumni in the association. The Spokane native, whose name notably didn’t appear on most two-round mock drafts heading into draft day, was picked with the 54th overall selection by the Boston Celtics. From one winning culture to the next, Watson figures to get most of his reps at the NBA Summer League and G League as a rookie.

“It shows [Gonzaga] can develop and help players get to the NBA,” Dan Dickau said. “Obviously Gonzaga’s culture is as good as it gets. From what I see from the outside perspective, that seems to be the case with the Celtics as well.”

Watson’s journey spans the last half-decade, as he refined and added pieces to his game while he patiently waited for his time to shine as a graduate student. The 6-foot-8 forward went from a defense-first wing to more of a two-way player who could guard multiple positions while making the right basketball play on offense. Along with a lengthy NCAA tournament resume, Watson finished his career as the only player in Gonzaga history with 1,000 points, 700 rebounds, and 200 steals.

Watson's outside shot continues to develop, and while the vibe is that older players aren’t valued as highly as younger prospects are by NBA teams, Watson’s experience comes with a winning pedigree. He finished as the third-winningest player in Gonzaga history, compiling a 132-19 record (.874 winning percentage) while playing in four Sweet 16 games, two Elite Eight games, a Final Four and a national championship game.

“You may be further along in your skill development progression as a player, but ... in most cases, you’re further along in your approach to the game and understanding what it takes to be at that level,” Dickau said of older prospects. “I think you’ve slightly seen a little bit of a shift back to, in that second round and even at the end of first round … you’re seeing those older college guys who’ve played really well be valued more than they were three, four years ago because they’re no nonsense. You don’t have to worry about them.”

Dickau discussed Watson’s fit with the Celtics and much more on a new episode of Gonzaga Nation.

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Produced by Thomas Gallagher.

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