An All-SEC member, Trendon Watford had two strong years in his time at LSU. As a sophomore, Watford played 35 minutes per game and averaged 16.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 3 APG, 1 SPG, 0.6 BPG, and 2.6 TOPG on shooting splits of 48/32/65. Below is his full scouting report:
Name: Trendon Watford
Height/Weight: 6’9/ 240
Wingspan/ standing reach: N/A
Hand size: N/A
Position: Forward
College: LSU
Tools: Size, rebounding, creation
Pros:
- Ball handling upside; can lead a fastbreak and bring the ball up the floor
- Length helps contest jump shots
- Plus open floor athlete
- Good on-ball defensive upside
- Explosive second jump
- Good rebounder
- Smart at initiating contact and drawing fouls
- Smart cutter and moves well off-ball
- Reliable floater
Cons:
- Must tighten handle
- Needs to improve shooting mechanics- guide hand isn’t fluid and shot is slow
- Defensive awareness needs to be more consistent- ball watches too often
- Not always a willing passer; overdribbles at times or forces bad shots instead of passing
- Slow to recognize open teammates at times
- Needs to significantly improve moving jump shot and speed up jump shot overall
Overall:
Trendon Watford is a unique prospect in the draft, being a combo forward who got a lot of production out of the post, and didn’t possess either high-end athleticism or shooting. While his combination of archetype and physical profile aren’t the most modern traits, he does have a good chance to overcome the odds. Despite lacking high-end athleticism or shooting prowess, Watford is able to finish well at the rim, playmake as an off-forward, and can thrive in quick offense, namely transition offense. Despite lacking athleticism in the half-court, Watford has a relatively quick second jump and shows more athleticism in the open-floor. This helps him with his rebounding prowess and ability to defend well on-ball. If Watford can overcome the lack of explosiveness and jump shooting, he can carve out a role as a unique forward with playmaking prowess, a la Thad Young. If teams can reduce his bad habits formed at LSU, including overdribbling and late recognition, he can become a rotation player within a couple of years. Look for Watford to spend time in the G-League developing his areas of improvement.
Similar to: James Johnson, Justise Winslow, Thad Young, Matt Barnes
Projected draft range: 35-undrafted
Expected Role: Combo forward as a walking mismatch.
Unplayable if: Lack of athleticism, NBA tempo, jump shot limit his game translating.
Exceeds Expectations if: Shooting translates/improves and he improves his defensive awareness.
