Michigan State transfer Rocket Watts provides Mississippi State with extra guard depth

After two seasons In East Lansing, Michigan, 6-foot-2 hybrid guard Rocket Watts added his name to the list of several players headed to Starkville, Mississippi, for the upcoming season. Watts is a former four-star recruit and was rated No. 33 nationally in the ESPN top 100 for the Class of 2019.

A solid first season at Michigan State saw Watts named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team after averaging 9.0 points per game to go with 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists.

While Watts’ sophomore season saw a bit of regression statistically, the move provides Mississippi State head coach Ben Howland with another talented option at point guard.

However, Watts is more naturally a shooting guard, which is likely where he’ll find most of his minutes with the Bulldogs. Guard Iverson Molinar is set to handle most of the point guard duties.

It will be interesting to see if the change of scenery can serve as a launchpad for Watts’ development. As a highly-touted recruit, the potential for a leap forward exists.

Watts was a member of the United States U18 basketball team at the 2018 FIBA U18 Americas Championship where he averaged 6.8 points and 2.5 assists per game on his way to winning a gold medal.

With MSU guard D.J. Stewart’s decision to declare for the NBA draft this offseason, the addition of Watts could prove quite timely.

The Bulldogs will have one of the deepest rotations of Howland’s tenure with MSU this fall, and it remains to be seen what kind of impact Watts will have within it.