Offers continue to roll in for Jersey junior

When Isaiah Watkins moved from Toronto to New Jersey’s Saint Benedict’s Prep prior to this school year, he was without a single Division 1 offer. What a difference a year makes. The junior forward from Canada now has dozens of schools vying for his attention.

On Friday afternoon, Hawk Hill Hardwood caught up with the 6’8, 220-pound junior forward.

Watkins is not the only Toronto native attending Newark’s St. Benedict’s Prep this year. “My friends Tyler (Ennis) and Denzell (Taylor) and I decided to come down and try to turn the program back around,” Watkins said of the decision to move to the States. If Watkins’ goal was to help St. Benedict’s back into the national spotlight, he is certainly accomplishing that goal.

The Grey Bees are 26-1 on the season and are loaded with Division 1 talent in Tyler Ennis, Isaiah Briscoe, Denzell Taylor, Isaiah Watkins, Kamall Richards, and more.

At a solid 6’8, Watkins is a do-it-all forward. “I’m working really hard on expanding my game,” Watkins explained. “I can play in the low-post, but I also like to run and can handle the ball. I like to be versatile,” he expanded.

This time last year, Watkins did not possess a single offer. Due to his impressive play this year against a national schedule, that has changed dramatically. “I am now up over 40 offers,” Watkins told Hawk Hill Hardwood. “I have been working my tail off and it’s paying off,” Watkins furthered.

One of those schools working hard for Watkins’ attention is Saint Joseph’s. The Hawks recently became one of the dozens of schools to extend an offer Watkins’ way. The offer did make an impression on him. Saint Joseph’s “is a school that I am really considering,” Watkins stated. “I had a great conversation with their coach (Phil Martelli) and I liked how honest he was. He talked about how I could help him and how he could help me.”

With over 40 schools involved in his recruitment, Watkins is currently just embracing the process. “I’m taking my sweet time,” Isaiah explained when asked what his timeframe was on a possible decision. “I want to see what schools and what coaches will show up (at my games),” he said when discussing what he was looking for when thinking about his decision.

In addition to being a talented basketball player, Watkins is also an impressive student. Both of his parents are teachers and constantly stress the importance of education to him. He has taken their message to heart, and his performance in the classroom and on the court has schools of all levels, from Ivy League to Atlantic 10 to SEC, battling for his services.

Over the course of this school year, Isaiah Watkins has grown from a relative unknown to one of the more highly regarded forwards in the Northeast. In no rush to make a decision, look for Isaiah Watkins’ stock to continue to soar this spring and summer.