Fox wants Marcus Watson back in Athens
BUFORD -- Georgia has extended an offer to a four-star talent out of Buford after his team claimed a state championship title at Stegeman Coliseum.
Marcus Watson, a Class of 2019 small forward, was given the news from his parents after they received a call from Bulldogs' head coach Mark Fox. It was the first of three offers he received in a span of 24 hours.
While Watson hasn't yet had the opportunity to visit the facilities and meet with the Georgia staff, being able to play on the Bulldogs' home court gave the sophomore a good impression on the program.
"It's great, I've always liked Georgia and the university since I moved here," Watson said. "I like everything about Georgia, and I want to visit the campus soon and see how the environment is. I'm glad they like my game and it just makes me happy."
Along with Georgia, Watson recently received offers from LSU and Iowa. LSU stands out for Watson due to its recent history of NBA-caliber players.
"I haven't been able to sit down and think in-depth about each one since my recruiting just started," Watson said. "LSU had Ben Simmons and Antonio Blakeney come through, and I am sure it's a nice school."
Watson was an up-and-coming prospect out of West Forsyth (N.C.) prior to transferring to Buford a season ago. That move has resulted in Watson playing better and has allowed the recruiting interest to intensify.
"It has been a blessing, and it was the right move," Watson said. "It happened at the right time and I came to the right place. I moved closer to my FBA (Fundamental Basketball Academy) program and that has helped my game a lot. It has just been better overall."
The sophomore was Buford's leader on its championship run, but the 6-foot-6, 195-pound wing still sees opportunity for improvement as he hopes to hear from more programs.
"I can always work on my defense and conditioning," Watson said. "I have to get in top shape because I always want to be better. I can become a better teammate and an all-around player."
Watson may spend the remainder of his prep career in Georgia, but his roots still lie in North Carolina. After idolizing the collegiate talent that came through the state, Watson hopes he receives a call from some of those upper-echelon programs.
"I'm weighing my options and there's no particular school that I would just want to go and jump on to," Watson said. "My dream school has always been North Carolina, and I would like to hear from them. But it doesn't mean that I would automatically go there. I would love to hear from NC State and schools in North Carolina."