Arizona State's Akil Watson (23), Brycen Long (3), Malachi Davis (7), Braelon Green (2) and others walk off the court after tan NCAA college basketball game against TCU in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Just a day ago, the UMass men’s basketball team hadn’t acquired any transfers to fill the gaps left by departing players. However, with the recent addition of forward Akil Watson from Arizona State on Wednesday, they’ve now secured two transfers within a single day.
Prior to Watson, UMass signed G/F Daniel Rivera, who transferred from Bryant, on Tuesday.
Watson, with three years of eligibility remaining, made the announcement of his move on Instagram. Standing at 6-foot-9 and weighing 205 pounds, he saw limited action in his freshman year at Arizona State, appearing in 18 games with averages of 5.9 minutes, 1.7 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.1 assists. He was part of a Sun Devil team that placed ninth in the Pac-12.
Originally hailing from Middleton, New York, Watson played high school basketball at Roselle Catholic in New Jersey, where he was a standout player, helping his team secure the state championship in his senior year and earning a consensus four-star recruit status.
Both Watson and Rivera bring versatility as wing players capable of handling both forward positions for UMass. Despite being undersized at 6-foot-6, Rivera excelled in rebounds and blocks, ranking in the top five in both categories in the America East conference last season.
UMass has diversified its recruitment strategy with these two portal additions. Rivera, having garnered significant playing time at a smaller school, likely aims to prove himself in a more competitive conference. On the other hand, Watson, arriving from a larger program, seeks increased playing opportunities.
After eight Minutemen entered the portal following its opening on March 18, notable players like Matt Cross and Josh Cohen found new teams, alongside key contributors Keon Thompson and Robert Davis Jr. Additional transfers included Mathok Majok, Tyler Mason, Sawyer Mayhugh, and Gianni Thompson, although the latter two didn’t see playing time for UMass last season.
With two scholarships still available, UMass will likely focus on acquiring a guard to address the departures of Thompson and Davis Jr.
