Trendon Nelson Watford (born November 9, 2000) is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the LSU Tigers.
.jpg) Watford at the Nike EYBL in April 2017 | |
| No. 12 – New Orleans Pelicans | |
|---|---|
| Position | Power forward / small forward |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | November 9, 2000 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Mountain Brook (Mountain Brook, Alabama) |
| College | LSU (2019–2021) |
| NBA draft | 2021: undrafted |
| Playing career | 2021–present |
| Career history | |
| 2021–2023 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2023–2025 | Brooklyn Nets |
| 2025–2026 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2026–present | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
High school career
editWatford began his high school basketball playing career for Shades Valley High School in Irondale, Alabama while attending Irondale Middle School before moving to Mountain Brook, Alabama where he played high school basketball for Mountain Brook High School from his freshman year to senior year. A highly touted five star prospect, Watford holds many Alabama state records, among these is the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s career rebounding record. He led Mountain Brook to three consecutive Class 7A state championships from 2017 to 2019.
Recruiting
editOn May 20, 2019, he committed to Will Wade and LSU.[1]
| Name | Hometown | School | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trendon Watford PF |
Birmingham, AL | Mountain Brook (AL) | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | May 20, 2019 | |
Recruit ratings: Rivals:  247Sports: ESPN: (93) | ||||||
| Overall recruit ranking: Rivals: 16 247Sports: 19 ESPN: 19 | ||||||
Sources:
| ||||||
College career
editIn his debut for LSU, an 88–79 win over Bowling Green, Watford scored 10 points.[2] He had his first double double in college on November 19, 2019, scoring 12 points and grabbing 12 rebounds as LSU defeated UMBC 77–50.[3] Watford scored a career-high 22 points on January 25, 2020, in a 69–67 win over Texas.[4] At the conclusion of the regular season, Watford was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team.[5] He averaged 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds for LSU as a freshman. Following the season, Watford declared for the 2020 NBA draft.[6] On August 3, Watford announced he was returning to LSU for his sophomore season.[7] He scored a career-high 30 points in a SEC Tournament championship game loss to Alabama. Watford averaged 16.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore. Following the season, he declared for the 2021 NBA draft and hired an agent, thus forgoing his college eligibility.[8]
Professional career
editPortland Trail Blazers (2021–2023)
editAfter going undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft, Watford was signed by the Portland Trail Blazers to a two-way contract on August 3, 2021.[9] His contract was converted to a standard deal on February 21, 2022.[10] On March 12, he scored a career-high 27 points, along with six rebounds, in a 127–118 win over the Washington Wizards.[11]
On July 17, 2022, Watford put up 19 points, seven rebounds, two assists, three steals, and one block, to lead the Blazers to an 85–77 win over the New York Knicks in the 2022 NBA Summer League championship match. He was later named the Summer League Championship Game MVP.[12] Watford was also named to the All-NBA Summer League Second Team.[13] Heading into the 2022–23 season, Watford was named by The Ringer as a prospect who had "shown some flashes" but could play a bigger role in the future.[14]
On June 30, 2023, Watford was waived by the Trail Blazers.[15]
Brooklyn Nets (2023–2025)
editOn August 3, 2023, Watford signed with the Brooklyn Nets.[16] On July 9, 2024, he re-signed with Brooklyn.[17] During the 2024–25 season, head coach Jordi Fernández experimented with playing Watford at the point forward position due to his court vision and versatility.[18] Fernández often ran post up plays involving Watford, and he had the best season of his career, averaging career highs of 10.2 points and 2.6 assists per game.[19] In a game against the Indiana Pacers on March 21, 2025, Watford was ejected and later fined $35,000 after an altercation in which he shoved Pacers players Andrew Nembhard and Myles Turner.[20] The Nets chose not to re-sign Watford after the season, which was criticized for adding pressure on rookies such as Egor Dëmin.[18]
Philadelphia 76ers (2025–2026)
editOn July 2, 2025, Watford signed a two-year, $5.3 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.[21][22] Head coach Nick Nurse had originally wanted to acquire Watford in a trade from the Nets the previous season before signing him in free agency.[23] Watford was longtime friends with the team's star point guard Tyrese Maxey; they had talked on the phone the day free agency opened, hoping to soon play on the same team. His signing was praised by The New York Times as "one of the more effective signings on the margins a team can make". Watford replaced Guerschon Yabusele, who left that summer in free agency;[24] and provided size, length, versatility, and playmaking for the 76ers,[25][26] with his teammate and friend Quentin Grimes calling him a "Swiss Army knife".[19] He was expected to reduce the team's dependence on its backcourt for capable ballhandling and on their often-injured center Joel Embiid for size and rebounding.[24] As the only primary power forward on the 76ers' roster, he was expected to often receive playing opportunities as a key reserve off the bench.[27]
Watford suffered a hamstring injury in a September pick-up game,[19] missing the entirety of the 76ers' training camp and preseason, and the first three games of the regular season.[28] Due to his lack of chemistry with his teammates from the injury, Watford had a slow start to the season, scoring only two points in his debut on October 28.[19][29] In his first game against his former Nets team on November 2, Watford continued to return to form, with an efficient 16 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Nurse maximized Watford's versatility by playing him as a point forward with the ball in his hands.[19] On November 8, Watford recorded his first career triple-double in a 130–120 win over the Toronto Raptors, putting up 20 points, ten assists, and seventeen rebounds.[30] Following the game, Embiid compared Watford to Ben Simmons.[31] The game was his first start of the season, and began a short stint as Philadelphia's starting power forward.[32] On November 25 against the Orlando Magic, Watford suffered a left adductor strain and was expected to be out for at least two weeks.[33] He returned to the lineup against the Washington Wizards on January 7, 2026.[34] Watford initially had trouble returning to the rotation, but Paul George's 25-game suspension for drug-related issues allowed him to earn a bigger role and more playing time in February.[35] However, by April, he had fallen from the rotation again.[36]
With the team affected by injuries in the early part of the season, Watford's ability to create for himself and others allowed him to handle the ball more and free Maxey to play off the ball. However, as the 76ers returned to health later in the season, Watford's ball-handling skills were used less as more capable ball handlers such as Embiid and Paul George returned from injury, and his lack of off-ball contributions limited his utility, as the 76ers had a −10.7 net rating when he played alongside their starting backcourt of Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.[31] Due in part to his friendship with Maxey, Watford was a positive locker room presence, but poor shooting and defense combined with the hamstring and adductor injuries prevented him from establishing a consistent rotation role for the 76ers.[32]
For the season, Watford averaged 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 53 games, at the end of the Philadelphia rotation. He scored efficiently on shots within 10 feet of the basket, which made up most of his shots,[37] but struggled to shoot from long range, with a three-point percentage of only 20%.[38] The 76ers qualified for the playoffs for the first time in Watford's career,[39] but he was out of Nurse's playoff rotation, and saw little playing time compared to the starters and younger reserves such as Dominick Barlow and Justin Edwards.[25][40] The 76ers were criticized for using so many roster spots on "non-contributors" such as Watford.[41] On June 29, 2026, the 76ers declined Watford's team option for the next season, making him an unrestricted free agent.[38] After his option was declined, Watford posted the Future song "Ain't Coming Back" on his Instagram story.[42] In free agency, Watford explored playing opportunities elsewhere,[38] including a reported deal offered to him in Spain by Valencia Basket.[32] Via social media, Watford stated the report was false and he would be staying in the NBA.[43]
New Orleans Pelicans (2026–present)
editOn August 17, 2026, Watford signed a one-year, $2.9 million minimum contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, described by ESPN's Shams Charania as a "productive two-way get".[38] The deal, which brought the Pelicans to their full 15 players under contract, was the biggest signing of a mostly inactive offseason for the team. Watford was expected to play a veteran reserve role behind Zion Williamson and Derik Queen, but could expand if either player was injured or if trades changed the New Orleans roster.[37] Watford's signing raised questions for the Pelicans, as they continued to lack a legitimate starting center, and his lack of shooting ability was similar to Williamson and Queen. The Pelicans were expected to play lineups with Watford as a small-ball center, allowing the team to use his connective playmaking ability.[43]
Player profile
editListed at 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) and 245 pounds (111 kg), Watford is a versatile playmaker, connector, and shot-creator, with skilled scoring ability in the post. His unorthodox play style has been described as resembling that of a guard more than his listed position of power forward, and he most often plays as a point forward.[31] He can also be deployed as a small-ball center who excels in the paint, especially from the floater range.[27] He has the unique ability to both bring the ball up the court like a point guard, and post up like a center. His ability to be a connector and ball mover has been compared to Nicolas Batum.[35] Watford is known for his competitiveness and toughness, and his hustle was the main factor behind his entry into the Portland rotation off of a two-way contract. He excels in transition offense, where his ball-handling ability allows him to push the pace and exploit mismatches near the basket.[44] On March 6, 2026, while playing for the 76ers, Watford commented on his versatility:
I just try to go along with it. It's not a bad thing, being able to play a lot of positions... Some games I might come in at the four, backup four. Some games I might come in at the one. Some games I might come in [and replace Kelly Oubre Jr.] at the three. It just varies, and obviously it's a good thing to be able to play a lot of positions. But my job is to just stay locked in and be ready whenever my name is called, whatever position it may be.[31]
One of Watford's main weaknesses is shooting. Never a high-volume three-point shooter,[27] Watford shot only 20% from three with the 76ers, which limits his usefulness when not handling the ball,[31] although he increased his three-point percentage in each of the preceding four seasons.[45] Though a switchable defender,[46] Watford is less skilled at the point of attack,[47] and does not have a major presence defensively or in rebounding.[31] He also struggles to stay healthy, often suffering injuries.[46][31]
Career statistics
edit| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
editRegular season
edit| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Portland | 48 | 10 | 18.1 | .532 | .237 | .755 | 4.1 | 1.7 | .5 | .6 | 7.6 |
| 2022–23 | Portland | 62 | 12 | 19.1 | .560 | .391 | .720 | 3.8 | 2.1 | .5 | .2 | 7.4 |
| 2023–24 | Brooklyn | 63 | 2 | 13.6 | .527 | .397 | .794 | 3.1 | 1.3 | .4 | .3 | 6.9 |
| 2024–25 | Brooklyn | 44 | 6 | 20.8 | .469 | .330 | .762 | 3.6 | 2.6 | .6 | .3 | 10.2 |
| 2025–26 | Philadelphia | 53 | 7 | 16.3 | .515 | .200 | .779 | 3.3 | 2.5 | .3 | .4 | 6.5 |
| Career | 270 | 37 | 17.3 | .519 | .325 | .761 | 3.6 | 2.0 | .5 | .3 | 7.6 | |
Playoffs
edit| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Philadelphia | 7 | 0 | 5.7 | .636 | .000 | .750 | .4 | .4 | .4 | .0 | 2.9 |
| Career | 7 | 0 | 5.7 | .636 | .000 | .750 | .4 | .4 | .4 | .0 | 2.9 | |
College
editPersonal life
editWatford is the younger brother of former professional basketball player Christian Watford.[48]
References
edit- ↑ Hill, Drew (April 17, 2019). "Memphis basketball recruit Trendon Watford delays decision date". The Commercial Appeal. Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
- ↑ "No. 22 LSU opens season with 88-79 win over Bowling Green". ESPN. Associated Press. November 8, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- ↑ "LSU cruises to 77–50 victory against UMBC". ESPN. Associated Press. November 19, 2019. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ↑ "Watford scores 22 and LSU overcomes Texas rally 69-67". ESPN. Associated Press. January 25, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
- ↑ "SEC announces 2020 Men's Basketball Awards" (Press release). Southeastern Conference. March 10, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- ↑ Givony, Jonathan (April 12, 2020). "LSU freshman Trendon Watford entering 2020 NBA draft". ESPN. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
- ↑ Embody, Billy (August 3, 2020). "Trendon Watford to return to LSU for sophomore season". 247 Sports. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
- ↑ Guilbeau, Glenn (April 8, 2021). "LSU's Trendon Watford to hire agent, enter NBA Draft, though he is not expected to be picked". The Daily Advertiser. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ↑ "TRAIL BLAZERS SIGN TRENDON WATFORD TO TWO-WAY CONTRACT". NBA.com. August 3, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
- ↑ "TRAIL BLAZERS SIGN TRENDON WATFORD TO STANDARD NBA CONTRACT". NBA. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
- ↑ "Hart scores 44 as Trail Blazers top Wizards, end 6-game skid". NBA. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- ↑ Azarly, Tomer (July 17, 2022). "MVP Trendon Watford reacts to Blazers' 2022 Summer League Championship". ClutchPoints. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
- ↑ writer, SHELDON MICKLES | Staff (July 19, 2022). "Three former LSU standouts among players earning All-NBA Summer League accolades". The Advocate. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ↑ Mahoney, Rob (October 6, 2022). "The NBA Alignment Chart". The Ringer. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
This is a big moment for Nassir Little and Trendon Watford. That's both a great developing story for two young players who have shown some flashes, and less than a ringing endorsement for the state of Portland's bench.
- ↑ "Trail Blazers Waive Trendon Watford". NBA.com. June 30, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
- ↑ "Brooklyn Nets Sign Trendon Watford". NBA.com. August 3, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ↑ "Brooklyn Nets Re-Sign Trendon Watford". NBA.com. July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
- 1 2 Fox, Kyler (November 9, 2025). "Ex-Net Trendon Watford Drops Triple-Double, Raising Questions About Brooklyn's Call". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Mizell, Gina (November 3, 2025). "Sixers' Trendon Watford flashes versatility in 'revenge win' over Nets". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on November 3, 2025. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ Associated Press (March 21, 2025). "Nets' Trendon Watford, Pacers' Myles Turner fined for altercation". ESPN. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Philadelphia 76ers Sign Trendon Watford". NBA. July 3, 2025. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
- ↑ "Trendon Watford agrees to two-year deal with Sixers, report says". CBS News. June 30, 2025. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
- ↑ Pompey, Keith (November 9, 2026). "Sixers takeaways: Thriving in balanced attack; Trendon Watford's triple-double and more from win over Raptors". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on July 1, 2026. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- 1 2 Jones, Tony (July 14, 2025). "Sixers being built to absorb the inevitable absence of star center Joel Embiid". The New York Times. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- 1 2 Levick, Noah (June 29, 2026). "Sixers decline Watford's option, forward now an unrestricted free agent". NBC Sports Philadelphia. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ Levick, Noah (June 30, 2025). "Sixers agree to sign forward Trendon Watford on Night 1 of free agency". NBC Sports Philadelphia. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Hollinger, John (October 1, 2025). "Reed Sheppard, John Collins and other NBA 'hinge' players". The New York Times. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ Jones, Tony (November 8, 2025). "How Trendon Watford is finding his place on Sixers by raising his ceiling — and voice". The New York Times. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ Associated Press (October 28, 2025). "76ers rally in fourth, beat Washington 139-134 in overtime to remain undefeated". ESPN. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ "76ers' Trendon Watford: Logs first triple-double of career". CBS Sports. November 8, 2025. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Aaronson, Adam (May 28, 2026). "Sixers year-in-review: Did Trendon Watford earn his spot?". PhillyVoice. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Aaronson, Adam (August 3, 2026). "Report: Former Sixers forward Trendon Watford nearing move to Spain". PhillyVoice. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ Mizell, Gina (November 26, 2025). "Sixers' Trendon Watford out at least two weeks with thigh injury". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on January 13, 2026. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ Bracy, Aaron (January 8, 2026). "Joel Embiid and Paul George power the Sixers to a 131-110 win over the Wizards". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on February 9, 2026. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- 1 2 Mizell, Gina (February 8, 2026). "Trendon Watford's versatility will become a major asset as the Sixers reshuffle their roster". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on March 22, 2026. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ Mizell, Gina (April 5, 2026). "The Sixers have a week to get ready for the playoffs. These are the five things they need to be working on". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on July 2, 2026. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- 1 2 Helin, Kurt (August 17, 2026). "Trendon Watford signs one-year minimum deal to join New Orleans". NBC Sports. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Sources: Trendon Watford, Pelicans agree to 1-year, $2.9M deal". ESPN. August 17, 2026. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ Mizell, Gina (May 12, 2026). "The Sixers had an improved regular season and an up-and-down playoff run. Now, an interesting offseason awaits". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on May 13, 2026. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ Mizell, Gina (April 26, 2026). "Sixers' playoff newcomers getting 'invaluable' experience in first series against Boston". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on June 24, 2026. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ Aaronson, Adam (July 30, 2026). "On top of star-studded lineup, Sixers finally valuing back-end roster spots". PhillyVoice. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ Mizell, Gina (July 7, 2026). "If the Sixers don't land LeBron James, who should fill their final roster spot? Here are a few options". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on August 12, 2026. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- 1 2 Kimble, Terry (August 17, 2026). "What Does the Trendon Watford Signing Mean for the Pelicans' Rotation?". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ Jones, Tony (November 8, 2025). "How Trendon Watford is finding his place on Sixers by raising his ceiling — and voice". The New York Times. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ Patterson, Hunter (May 15, 2025). "Pistons free agency: Naz Reid, Bobby Portis and 6 more players Detroit could target". The New York Times. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- 1 2 Mahoney, Rob (July 17, 2025). "Six Tiny Deals That Might Tilt the 2025 NBA Season". The Ringer. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ Jones, Tony (November 17, 2025). "Paul George nears his return to the 76ers. Here are 5 reasons why they need him". The New York Times. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ Estes, Gerry (May 22, 2019). "Indiana basketball could use some good news right about now". Louisville Courier-Journal. Retrieved November 14, 2019.