Many high school athletes commit to college before or early in their senior year, avoiding any stress related to reaching the next level of their respective sport. Freshman forward Tarik Watson’s recruiting process was the opposite, making a decision just days from the summer after his final year of high school.
Watson committed to Marist men’s basketball on May 23, a late commitment for a high school recruit. This is evident because Marist brought in four college transfers before that date.
Watson wanted to keep his options open, and his patience paid off after he juggled interest from Brown University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology and San Diego University, among others, in competition with Marist.
“Marist was showing a lot of great interest in me. I liked the program and the family environment,” said Watson.
A Middletown, New York native, Watson’s family is just a short drive from Poughkeepsie, offering a chance to cheer him on this season. Family is a major part of Watson’s life and believed in the family culture at Marist. His three brothers–Akil, Ehsan and Ajani–are tight-knit and have a strong bond.
Watson started playing basketball in the third grade but also played some lacrosse throughout his life. He took off playing basketball and developed into a quality player.
“Everyone in my town was playing. I was actually pretty good,” said Watson.
Watson transferred from Don Bosco High School and spent two years at Roselle Catholic in New Jersey before moving to Hillcrest Prep in Arizona for his final season. At Roselle, Watson won a state championship as a sophomore in 2022 and played with and against high-tier talent every game.
Watson’s older brother, Akil, is a former four-star recruit and transferred to the University of Massachusetts this summer after spending one year at Arizona State University. They played together at Roselle and enjoyed sharing the court. Akil has helped Tarik understand the mentality needed to succeed in Division I.
“Just overall staying disciplined, stacking days and bringing the same energy every day. Balancing academic and athlete life,” said Watson. The duo played together most of their life, with Tarik playing up age groups to be with Akil on the court.
At 6 feet, 8 inches tall, Watson adds to the Red Foxes’s frontcourt after losing sophomore center and leading scorer Max Allen II to the transfer portal in April. Marist’s coaching staff felt the need to pivot to high school recruits–especially frontcourt players–because of the toss-up of the portal.
Watson’s AAU team, New Heights Lightning, faced some stiff competition over the years such as NBA players Jalen Duren and Derek Lively, and played alongside teammates like Elliot Cadeu (North Carolina) and five-star point guard Meleek Thomas (college eligible in 2025).
“We liked what we saw, especially his physicality, toughness and rebounding. We have a good relationship with the Lightning. They spoke the world of him as far as his potential and character,” said Marist head coach John Dunne.
Watson is a high-motor big with incredible bounce and finishing in the paint. He showed flashes of putting the ball on the floor and an ability to finish in the lane. He emphasizes rebounding, effort and physicality on defense.
“It’s always been the way that I play [physically]. My dad always instilled that in me. I feel like that brings a lot of energy to the game,” said Watson.
This offers a nice complement to senior forward Jackson Price, who is expected to start and is more of a perimeter big.
Dunne envisions Watson factoring in this season, with only redshirt freshman Jason Schofield competing for minutes behind Price at the center spot.
Hillcrest Prep entered the picture because of a coaching change at Roselle. Due to the relationship with coaches at Hillcrest, Watson saw an opportunity for his final high school season. He put up solid numbers averaging 18 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks per game.
Hillcrest has developed some elite big men in recent years including NBA players Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley III, Dalen Terry and the Thompson twins (Amen and Ausar),
Watson has a ton of work to do to reach those types of levels, but he received interest from major programs including Creighton and Georgetown earlier in his high school career, showing his potential when given the opportunity.
Despite the gritty player profile, Watson is a laid-back, soft-spoken individual who enjoys drawing, anime and his religious life. Watson’s time in Arizona helped him adjust to being away from home, making him ready to contribute this season for Marist.
“I want to impact winning as much as I can to get this team a MAAC championship,” said Watson.
Edited by Dan Aulbach
Graphic by Gavin Hard
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