The Championship ring-holder began playing basketball at a very young age.
Key Takeaways
- Peyton Watson was born to Antoinette Watson and Julio Watson in Long Beach, California.
- Julio is a territory account manager, and Antoinette is an event planner.
- Peyton has a brother, Christian Watson, who plays collegiate basketball for Fullerton.
Peyton Watson, the 22-year-old rising NBA star for the Denver Nuggets, is quickly earning a name for his defensive prowess and clutch plays.
Recently, he made a game-winning block against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder, which preserved a 124-122 victory for the Nuggets.
As the Long Beach native continues to make game-winning plays, many are curious to know more about him, particularly his background and parents.
Peyton Watson with another massively clutch block. MPJ floater for game.pic.twitter.com/srxqTT5JML
— NBA University (@NBA_University) November 11, 2024
Peyton Watson was born on September 11, 2002, to his mother, Antoinette Watson, and father, Julio Watson, in Long Beach, California.
Julio is a California State University graduate with a degree in marketing.
He works as a territory account manager focusing on the medical sector.
In a 2020 interview, Peyton revealed that his father had a huge role in his basketball success.
He quoted,
I was 2- or 3-years-old when I first started playing with a basketball. Then I played at the YMCA Club in Lakewood before joining the Eastman club when I was 8 or 9VC.
Via presstelegram.com
Antoinette works as an event planner and is a massive supporter of her son’s career.
She closely follows Peyton’s games and is seen making tweets cheering on his performances.
My Babies. #fathersday2024
Posted by Julio Watson on Sunday, June 16, 2024
Peyton also has a younger brother, Christian Watson, and a younger sister, Jolie Grace.
Christian is also a brilliant basketball player and played for Long Beach Polytechnic High School, where Peyton also went.
He attends California State University, Fullerton, where he continues playing in hopes of getting drafted into the NBA like his brother.
Congrats to Hornets freshman Christian Watson for earning 3C2A All State honors! Bright future for CWat! #GoHornets pic.twitter.com/35jDYi4Uaz
— Hornets Hoops (@HornetNestHoops) March 19, 2024
In April 2024, Peyton gifted his Christian a brand-new BMW SUV for his birthday.
The two brothers share a very close bond and support each other’s careers and choices.
for those who may not know, my lil brother is a huge reason i am where i am today! he’s always pushed me to want to be great and set the example. couldn’t be any more deserving of this!! glad i could do something special for him and do it with my family!! happy birthday cwat🤞🏾 pic.twitter.com/zbhhL45O8C
— Peyton Watson (@peytonwatson_) April 29, 2024
Peyton joined the varsity team as a freshman in high school.
In his junior season, he averaged 23.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, earning him the Moore League MVP honors.
He was named a McDonald’s All-American and participated in the Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit.
Despite offers from Arizona, Gonzaga, Michigan, Oregon, and Washington, he committed to playing college basketball for UCLA in 2020.
However, Peyton never intended to finish college and was honest about it with the UCLA Bruins staff.
Following through with his intentions, he played one season of college basketball during the 2021-2022 season before declaring for the NBA Draft.
He was selected in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder and was traded to the Denver Nuggets on draft night.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Peyton was the first player from Long Beach Poly to be named Moore League MVP since Jordan Bell in 2013.
- During his high school senior year, despite an abbreviated season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Watson averaged 30 points per game.
- Off the court, Peyton Watson is known for his love of fashion. He often makes bold fashion statements and is seen wearing unique and stylish outfits.
