CARLSBAD — Former Division I and professional basketball player Devin Watson is returning to North County as the new head coach of the Sage Creek High School boys basketball program, the school recently announced.
School officials said Watson, an Oceanside native, brings a player-centered coaching philosophy focused on discipline, accountability, teamwork and leadership development.
“Play hard. Play smart. Play together,” Watson said in a statement. “The Team. The Team. The Team.”
According to the school, Sage Creek players will now have access to advanced skill development, film study and position-specific training modeled after professional-level basketball programs under Watson.
After three years at Carlsbad’s Army Navy Academy, including a trip to the CIF regional semifinals, Watson transferred to El Camino High School in Oceanside for his senior year. In his lone season with the Wildcats, he was named Avocado West League Player of the Year and earned All San Diego Section first-team honors after averaging 25 points, six rebounds and eight assists.
He went on to play four seasons of DI basketball at the University of San Francisco and San Diego State University.
At San Francisco, Watson earned West Coast Conference All-Freshman Team honors before breaking out as a sophomore, averaging 20.3 points and 4.9 assists per game. He ranked among the nation’s top scorers that season and was named first-team All-West Coast Conference.
After transferring to SDSU, Watson led the Aztecs in assists and three-point shooting in his junior season, earning Mountain West All-Tournament Team and Wooden Legacy All-Tournament Team honors.
Watson was later selected in the 2019 NBA G League Draft by the Erie BayHawks and went on to play professionally overseas in Australia, Argentina and Canada.
In addition to his playing career, Watson has worked as a varsity assistant coach at Carlsbad High School and coached Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball teams. Watson also currently operates Watz Academy, a local basketball development program focused on youth and high school athletes.
