A McDonald's All-American in high school, he played one season of college basketball for the UCLA Bruins.

[6] He was named to the rosters for the McDonald's All-American, Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit.

[8] On July 27, 2020, he committed to playing college basketball for UCLA over offers from Arizona, Gonzaga, Michigan, Oregon and Washington.

[9] He was frank with the Bruins coaching staff that he intended to be a one-and-done player, leaving for the NBA after one year in college.

[10] Sources: As a freshman at the University of California, Los Angeles in 2021–22, Watson arrived out of shape, primarily due to his high school senior season being disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.