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Peyton Watson

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Peyton Watson
Watson with the Denver Nuggets in 2025
No. 8 – Cleveland Cavaliers
PositionSmall forward
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (2002-09-11) September 11, 2002 (age 24)
Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High schoolLong Beach Poly
(Long Beach, California)
CollegeUCLA (2021–2022)
NBA draft2022: 1st round, 30th overall pick
Drafted byOklahoma City Thunder
Playing career2022–present
Career history
2022–2026Denver Nuggets
2022–2023→Grand Rapids Gold
2026–presentCleveland Cavaliers
Career highlights
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  United States
FIBA Under-19 World Cup
Gold medal – first place2021 LatviaTeam

Peyton Tyler Watson (born September 11, 2002[1]) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A McDonald's All-American in high school, he played one season of college basketball for the UCLA Bruins. Watson was selected in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft with the 30th overall pick.

High school career

[edit]

Watson attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, California, joining the varsity team as a freshman.[2] After coming off the bench earlier in his career,[3] he assumed a leading role in his junior season.[4] He averaged 23.2 points and eight rebounds per game,[5] earning Moore League MVP honors.[6] He was named to the rosters for the McDonald's All-American, Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit.[7]

Recruiting

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Watson was a consensus five-star recruit, one of the top small forwards and the highest-ranked player from California in the 2021 recruiting class.[8] On July 27, 2020, he committed to playing college basketball for UCLA over offers from Arizona, Gonzaga, Michigan, Oregon and Washington.[9] He was frank with the Bruins coaching staff that he intended to be a one-and-done player, leaving for the NBA after one year in college.[10]

College recruiting
Name Hometown School Height Weight Commit date
Peyton Watson
SF		 Long Beach, CA Long Beach Poly (CA) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Jul 27, 2020 
Recruit ratings: Rivals: 5/5 stars   247Sports: 5/5 stars   ESPN: 5/5 stars   (94)
Overall recruit ranking:    Rivals: 12    247Sports: 8    ESPN: 12
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, On3, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "UCLA 2021 Basketball Commitments". Rivals. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  • "2021 UCLA Bruins Recruiting Class". ESPN. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  • "2021 Team Ranking". Rivals. Retrieved September 17, 2021.

College career

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Watson with UCLA in 2021

As a freshman at the University of California, Los Angeles in 2021–22, Watson arrived out of shape, primarily due to his high school senior season being disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.[10] He joined an experienced UCLA group that had advanced to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament a year earlier.[11] All five starters returned, and he received no guarantees about his playing time.[12] Watson's defense was more advanced than his offense. However, the Bruins had other established scorers.[11] He received honorable mention for the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team.[13] He averaged 3.3 points and 2.9 rebounds in 12.6 minutes per game, and made just 32.2% of his field goals and 22.6% of his three-pointers. His playing time was sporadic, and he logged 10 minutes or more in just two out of the last seven games of the season.[14] After the season, Watson declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.[15]

Professional career

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Denver Nuggets (2022–2026)

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Watson was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder in first round of the 2022 NBA draft with the 30th overall pick.[16] He was then traded to the Denver Nuggets along with two future second-round picks for JaMychal Green and a 2027 protected first-round draft pick.[17] Possessing a wide wingspan, Watson was projected as a long-term project and expected to spend time developing with the Grand Rapids Gold of the NBA G League.[18] He made 23 appearances (including two starts) for Denver during his rookie campaign, averaging 3.3 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.5 assists.[19] Watson ended his rookie season as an NBA champion when the Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

Watson played in 80 games (including four starts) for Denver in the 2023–24 season, recording averages of 6.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists. He made 68 appearances (including 18 starts) for Denver during the 2024–25 NBA season, averaging 8.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists.[20]

On November 19, 2025, Watson set new career-highs with 32 points and 12 rebounds in his third start of the season - a 125-118 road win over the New Orleans Pelicans.[21] His playing time continued to trend upward from mid-November while peaking at 44 minutes in a January overtime win over the 76ers. Watson won his first NBA Western Conference Player of the Week Award for his play during the week of January 5-11, 2026, averaging 24.5 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.8 blocks.[22] On January 22, Watson notched a new career-high in points, pouring in 35 points to help Denver defeat the Washington Wizards, 107–97.[23] His expansion in role and usage rate (an unforeseen 20.6%) coincided with injuries to core starters Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun, who missed a combined 84 games missed throughout the year.[24][25] While superstar Nikola Jokić was out of action for 15 games from the end of December to the end of January, Watson shined while averaging 22.1 ppg on 16.2 FGA and shooting 44% from distance.[26][27][28] He made 54 total appearances, including 40 starts, for the Nuggets during the 2025–26 season, averaging career highs of 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 0.9 steals.[29][30] He scored 30+ points in a game four times, after none in his first three seasons.[29]

Peyton Watson did not play in the 2026 NBA playoffs because his agent Rich Paul decided to keep him out to protect his health ahead of free agency. According to Paul on the Game Over podcast, this decision aimed to take care of Watson's future. This caused great frustration and annoyance among his Denver Nuggets teammates.[31]

Cleveland Cavaliers (2026–present)

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On August 20, 2026, Watson was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of a sign-and-trade deal in which the Nuggets acquired Julian Reese from the Washington Wizards. He signed a four-year, $88 million contract with the Cavaliers.[32][33]

National team career

[edit]

Watson represented the United States at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Latvia. He averaged four points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, helping his team win the gold medal.[34]

Career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
 †  Won an NBA championship

NBA

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Regular season

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2022–23† Denver 2328.1.492.429.5501.6.5.1.53.3
2023–24 Denver 80418.6.465.296.6703.21.1.51.16.7
2024–25 Denver 681824.4.477.353.6933.41.4.71.48.1
2025–26 Denver 544029.6.491.411.7304.92.1.91.114.6
Career 2256421.9.479.361.6973.51.3.61.18.7

Playoffs

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2023† Denver 502.7.400.500—.8.2.0.21.0
2024 Denver 1009.0.250.250.5001.5.4.0.61.8
2025 Denver 14014.2.407.368.5002.9.3.8.64.5
Career 29010.4.364.333.5002.1.3.4.63.0

College

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2021–22 UCLA 32012.7.322.226.6882.9.8.6.63.3

Source:[35]

Personal life

[edit]

Watson's father, Julio, is a medical device representative, and his mother is an event planner. He has a younger brother, Christian, who plays basketball at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, and a younger sister, Jolie Grace.[36]

References

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  1. ↑ "Peyton Watson". fiba.basketball. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  2. ↑ Bien-Kahn, Joseph (June 11, 2020). "Peyton Watson's Crash Course in Stardom". Bleacher Report. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  3. ↑ Morales, Robert (December 30, 2019). "Long Beach Poly guard Peyton Watson helping young Jackrabbits grow". Press-Telegram. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  4. ↑ Guardabascio, Mike (July 9, 2019). "Next One Up: Peyton Watson, Long Beach Poly Basketball". The 562. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  5. ↑ "USA TODAY High School Sports Awards: Los Angeles boys basketball nominees". USA Today. April 22, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  6. ↑ Morales, Robert (April 23, 2021). "UCLA's tournament run brought joy to Long Beach Poly coach Shelton Diggs". Press-Telegram. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  7. ↑ Guardabascio, Mike (February 24, 2021). "Long Beach Poly's Peyton Watson Named McDonald's All-American". The 562. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  8. ↑ Bolch, Ben (July 27, 2020). "Familiarity breeds content as top prospect Peyton Watson picks UCLA". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  9. ↑ Borzello, Jeff (July 27, 2020). "Top California prospect Peyton Watson commits to UCLA". ESPN. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  10. 1 2 Davis, Seth (June 24, 2022). "What Peyton Watson brings to the Denver Nuggets: 'The mystery man of the draft'". The Athletic. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  11. 1 2 Bolch, Ben (February 2, 2022). "Making defense seem elementary, Peyton Watson quickly becomes a UCLA star". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  12. ↑ DeCourcy, Mike (November 23, 2021). "Top freshman Peyton Watson takes shot at helping UCLA skip First Four and head straight toward Final Four". Sporting News. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  13. ↑ Allen, Trevor (March 8, 2022). "Utah Basketball Standouts Carlson, Stefanovic Receive All-Pac-12 Honors". KSLSports.com. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  14. ↑ Bolch, Ben (April 12, 2022). "Peyton Watson announces he's leaving UCLA after one season, entering NBA draft". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  15. ↑ Royer, Benjamin (April 12, 2022). "UCLA Men's Basketball G/F Peyton Watson Declares For 2022 NBA Draft, To Hire Agent". Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  16. ↑ Grosbard, Adam (June 23, 2022). "NBA Draft: UCLA's Peyton Watson to Nuggets, USC's Isaiah Mobley to Cavs". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  17. ↑ Gutterman, Ron (June 23, 2022). "Nuggets Acquire Peyton Watson In Trade With Thunder". NBA.com. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  18. ↑ Singer, Mike (July 25, 2022). "Nuggets rookie Peyton Watson flashes vast potential at Summer League showcase". The Denver Post. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Peyton Watson 2022-23 Stats per Game". espn.com. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Peyton Watson 2024-25 Stats per Game". espn.com. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  21. ↑ Struck, Logan (November 19, 2025). "3 Takeaways From Nuggets' Shorthanded Win Over Pelicans". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 19, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  22. ↑ "PEYTON WATSON NAMED NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK". nba.com. January 12, 2026. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Peyton Watson scores career-high 35 points as short-handed Nuggets outlast Wizards 107-97". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  24. ↑ Blackburn, Ryan (November 26, 2025). "Peyton Watson isn't a Project anymore for Denver Nuggets". Mile High Sports. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  25. ↑ Durando, Bennett (December 14, 2025). "How Nuggets are navigating injuries to keep cooking on offense with Peyton Watson, Spencer Jones starting". The Denver Post. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Peyton Watson 2025-26 Game Log". Basketball Reference. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  27. ↑ Durando, Bennett (January 24, 2026). "5 trends that have defined Nuggets' month without Nikola Jokic". The Denver Post. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  28. ↑ Durando, Bennett (January 14, 2026). "Nuggets' Peyton Watson emerging as breakout star with Nikola Jokic, other starters out". The Denver Post. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  29. 1 2 Charania, Shams (August 19, 2026). "Peyton Watson to Cavs, Max Strus to Clippers in multiteam trade". ESPN. Retrieved August 19, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Peyton Watson 2025-26 Stats per Game". espn.com. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  31. ↑ "Rich Paul Says Peyton Watson Was Held Out In Playoffs To Protect Him For Free Agency". realgm.com. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Cavaliers Acquire Peyton Watson". nba.com. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  33. ↑ "Peyton Watson to Cavs, Max Strus to Clippers in multiteam trade". ESPN. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  34. ↑ "Peyton Watson (USA)'s profile – FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2021". FIBA. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  35. ↑ "Peyton Watson College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  36. ↑ Archbold, Rich (December 4, 2020). "Peyton Watson, Poly High star, helps Long Beach Boys & Girls Clubs; you can help, too!". Press-Telegram. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
[edit]
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