SportsLink

Watson leaves WSU

Posted by Vince Grippi

June 7, 2010 1:18 p.m. • 5 comments

COUGARS • UPDATED: 5 P.M.

As you know if you’ve been reading this site, Washington State forward James Watson was iffy for next year. Well, he’s no longer in Pullman. Watson transferred last week to Cowley County Community College in Arkansas City, Kansas, where he will play next year. We have more on the jump. UPDATE: We have added our story on the link, so read on.

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• UPDATE: Here’s the story …

PULLMAN – James Watson, a 6-foot-7 forward who played in 29 games last season for Washington State University, has left the program and has transferred to Cowley County Community College in Arkansas City, Kan.

Watson, who averaged 1.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in a reserve role as redshirt freshman last season, learned recently he would not be eligible in the fall semester.

“He needed 18 credits (to play) and he had 17, so he wasn’t going to be eligible until January at least,” said Annette Watson, James’ mother, when reached at home in Atoka, Okla.

“To be honest, he always struggled academically there. The jump from a small school to Washington State was a big jump for him and I don’t think we got his best effort (academically).”

Watson’s departure brings to four the number of scholarship players who have transferred since the end of the coach Ken Bone’s first season, joining Xavier Thames, Michael Harthun and Anthony Brown. Two other walk-ons have also left.

“We wish James nothing but the best,” Bone said in a press release.

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• We will have a story soon with comments from the interested parties, but for now we can confirm a couple things. Watson, a 6-foot-7 sophomore-to-be, would not have been eligible in the fall, at best coming up, according to his mother, a credit short. So just before Memorial Day he decided to transfer, and started classes in Kansas the day after the holiday, so he can get enough units in to be eligible for the fall. Watson’s mother believes having James closer to home will help his academic focus. … Watson appeared in 29 games last year, mostly as DeAngelo Casto’s backup, averaging 7.1 minutes. He averaged 1.8 points and 1.8 rebounds. He redshirted his freshman year after suffering injuries and health problems, the latter almost costing him his career. … Watson had an interesting journey to WSU, which you can read about here. … The loss of Watson thins an already thin inside corps for the Cougars, with Casto, lightly used sophomore Steven Bjornstad, Charlie Enquist, Brock Motum and incoming freshman Patrick Simon the only players at 6-8 or taller.

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• We’ll be back after the baseball game. Until then …

Five comments on this post so far. Add yours!

mikewsu on June 07 at 1:30 p.m.
I’m confused.. does he plan to return to the team or not?
TommyCoug on June 07 at 3:10 p.m.
This should not come as a surprise to anyone (certainly not to me)…especially on the heels of your article a few weeks ago Vince and comments made in a recent Cougfan article by coach Ken Bone.

Unfortunate…James Watson looked to be a project from the beginning concerning his ability for major college basketball, then he couldn’t seem to get up to speed to the demands of a major university and his health goes bad…I hope he does well in JC.

Aren’t there still a few decent “big fellas” lurking out there without a scholarship? Or did all committments, for eligibility for participation in the 2010-11 season, have to be concluded before the end of the, just completed, late signing period, by NCAA rules?
kaddy on June 07 at 3:11 p.m.
You won’t be around long if you can’t stay focused in the classroom.

Best of luck to him - we’ll miss him next year.
coug79 on June 07 at 3:52 p.m.
A real shame. Watson provided some strong quality minutes giving Casto badly needed rest breaks. Bjornstad showed little last year in burning his freshman season (I’ve got cement blocks in my yard with more mobility.) Let’s hope he’s better. Motum showed great potential last year. Let’s hope he’s ready to step it up. We can’t expect Casto to play 35 minutes a game and stay productive during a tough Pac-10 season.
MikeOCoug on June 08 at 8:29 a.m.
Tommy,

Big guys are hard to find. If you are 6-8 and bigger with a pulse, you are probably signed already…

Big guys that are 6-8 and bigger that have athletic ability and skills are either in the NBA or were signed in their junior year.