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Incoming Texas Tech forward LeJuan Watts formally withdrew from the 2026 NBA draft on Thursday, finalizing his transfer to the Washington Huskies for the 2026-27 college basketball season.
Watts, a 6-foot-6 junior from Fresno, California, was one of 38 non-international players who submitted paperwork to withdraw from the upcoming annual draft and remain in college to play for coach Danny Sprinkle as one of four transfer portal additions this offseason.
"LeJuan is one of the hardest matchups offensively in the country," Sprinkle said of the ex-Red Raider in a press release after he signed in late April. "At 6-6 and 230 pounds, he can play the one, two, three, or four and is dynamic with the ball in his hands. He's one of the best in the country at getting a defensive rebound and pushing the ball like a point guard, finding shooters, getting the ball to the rim, throwing lobs. That's kind of his superpower, his ability to exploit mismatches with his size and strength to create on the offensive end not just for himself but for others."
The decision to remain in college isn't a surprise, but in the ever-evolving world of college basketball and player movement, it solidifies his future with the Huskies and gives Sprinkle—entering his third year in Seattle—a strong, versatile forward to depend on this coming season.
In his lone season in Lubbock, Watts averaged 11.8 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists over 34 games (28 starts) to help lead Texas Tech to a 23-11 overall record and a second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament.
Prior to the 2025-26 campaign, the Southern California native began a now-near-complete tour of the Evergreen State. Watts began his college career at Eastern Washington before making the drive down I-195 to Pullman, where he started a career-high 34 games for Washington State and finished as the Cougars' second leading scorer at 13.7 points per game—coincidentally behind ex-UW guard Nate Calmese.
While Watts opted to return to the college ranks, former sophomore forward Bryson Tucker—a five-star recruit in the 2023 class out of Bishop O'Connell in Arlington, Virginia, who came to UW after one season at Indiana—has kept his name in the pool of players hoping to hear their name called in the 2026 NBA draft.
Tucker made 21 appearances for the Huskies and averaged 5.7 points and 3.9 rebounds.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington Huskies transfer addition withdraws from 2026 NBA Draft
Continue reading...
Watts, a 6-foot-6 junior from Fresno, California, was one of 38 non-international players who submitted paperwork to withdraw from the upcoming annual draft and remain in college to play for coach Danny Sprinkle as one of four transfer portal additions this offseason.
"LeJuan is one of the hardest matchups offensively in the country," Sprinkle said of the ex-Red Raider in a press release after he signed in late April. "At 6-6 and 230 pounds, he can play the one, two, three, or four and is dynamic with the ball in his hands. He's one of the best in the country at getting a defensive rebound and pushing the ball like a point guard, finding shooters, getting the ball to the rim, throwing lobs. That's kind of his superpower, his ability to exploit mismatches with his size and strength to create on the offensive end not just for himself but for others."
The decision to remain in college isn't a surprise, but in the ever-evolving world of college basketball and player movement, it solidifies his future with the Huskies and gives Sprinkle—entering his third year in Seattle—a strong, versatile forward to depend on this coming season.
In his lone season in Lubbock, Watts averaged 11.8 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists over 34 games (28 starts) to help lead Texas Tech to a 23-11 overall record and a second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament.
Prior to the 2025-26 campaign, the Southern California native began a now-near-complete tour of the Evergreen State. Watts began his college career at Eastern Washington before making the drive down I-195 to Pullman, where he started a career-high 34 games for Washington State and finished as the Cougars' second leading scorer at 13.7 points per game—coincidentally behind ex-UW guard Nate Calmese.
While Watts opted to return to the college ranks, former sophomore forward Bryson Tucker—a five-star recruit in the 2023 class out of Bishop O'Connell in Arlington, Virginia, who came to UW after one season at Indiana—has kept his name in the pool of players hoping to hear their name called in the 2026 NBA draft.
Tucker made 21 appearances for the Huskies and averaged 5.7 points and 3.9 rebounds.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington Huskies transfer addition withdraws from 2026 NBA Draft
Continue reading...
