Alabama 2019: Top Dog
Trendon Watford is the best player in the 2019 state class, and he is ranked in the top 30 nationally. People in the state are familiar with his last name, because his older brother Christian (former Indiana Hoosier) was a Birmingham area standout. While Trendon probably has learned a lot from Christian, Watford is blazing his own trail. Watford will have his pick of college, be an early favorite for Mr. Basketball, and have the opportunity to lead Mountain Brook to another state title.
Strengths: Watford is a natural scorer. He has three point range on the perimeter, and mechanically his jumper looks good. He can finish above the rim and through contact. Watford has a super soft touch in the post. He has underrated ball skill and post playmaking. He hits the glass hard. Trendon has excellent size at 6’9 to play multiple spots on the floor. Trendon is unselfish, performs well against national competition, and is a winner.
Weaknesses: Trendon doesn’t wow you with elite athleticism or quickness. Defensively, he lacks great lateral quickness. He needs to improve his handle more, in order to play on the perimeter at the next level full time. He needs to develop more post moves. Is he a 3 or is he a 4?
Outlook: Watford is a super smooth player. He has natural talent and size. Basketball is becoming a position-less game, and Trendon fits that mold. Athletically, he has weakness, but strength/conditioning coaches will be very excited to get time with Trendon. He will benefit tremendously from the player development on and off the court. He’s probably not a one-done player, but Trendon has the potential to have a long career in basketball.