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Anton Watson Claimed off Waivers by Eastern Conference Powerhouse

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Andy Patton | Last updated Mar 4, 2025 9:52 PM ET

Two days after he was waived by the Boston Celtics, former Gonzaga star Anton Watson inked a two-way contract with the New York Knicks, keeping him in the NBA's Eastern Conference.

Watson was selected No. 54 overall in the 2024 NBA draft by Boston and quickly signed to a two-way deal, but he spent the entirety of his time with the franchise in the G League with the Maine Celtics, where he averaged 12.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in just under 30 minutes per game.

Watson was working on developing a more consistent outside shot, attempting 5.8 threes per game with Maine but only connecting 33.3% of the time, a factor that could have led to his departure from the defending champions.

Now, Watson gets a chance to catch on with a Knicks team that is third in the Eastern Conference at 40-20 overall, while dealing with injury issues to the frontcourt.

Knicks center Ariel Hukporti suffered a torn meniscus and will miss the next 4-6 weeks, and with New York having a two-way spot open it made total sense to bring Watson on board. The franchise can let him get up to speed with the G League affiliate in Westchester County while they assess what they have and potentially give him a call to make his NBA debut.

The 6'8 forward from Spokane starred at Gonzaga Prep before a prolific five-year career with the Zags, culminating in an All-WCC campaign in 2023-24 where he averaged 14.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 60.7% on two pointers and 41.2% from the three point line.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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