A return to college basketball for former Florida State star Jamir Watkins is firmly on the table despite a strong showing at the NBA Draft Combine this week. The No. 2 small forward and seventh-ranked overall player in transfer portal fell out of the first round in CBS Sports' latest mock draft, and substantial NIL offers could be waiting should he return for a final season of college basketball.
"I have not heard a whole lot of buzz [about Watkins] in Chicago," 247Sports Director of Recruiting Adam Finkelstein said Tuesday, via the 247Sports College Basketball Show. "There's certainly no first-round momentum to speak of at this point in time. Watkins is an extreme athlete and great in transition. The shooting numbers are a little misleading. He shoots a deep ball, and his open catch-and-shoot numbers were much higher than the 32% he shot overall from behind the arc. The momentum is headed towards him returning to college basketball."
North Carolina is a team that "makes sense" for Watkins if he leaves the draft process, according to national basketball analyst Isaac Trotter. It's become increasingly likely that UNC wing Drake Powell will remain in the draft after a big showing in Chicago, leaving a massive hole to fill in the Tar Heels' starting five. UNC has pursued a handful of small forwards in the portal this offseason but has come up empty-handed. Watkins would be quite the consolation prize.
"Drake Powell had an unbelievable day today," Trotter said. "If he's gone from North Carolina, the Tar Heels have a lot of experience playing against Jamir Watkins in the ACC the last couple of years. He makes a lot of sense for them. They tried hard for Andrej Stojakovic, who ended up picking Illinois over Carolina. Could UNC pivot to Jamir Watkins? That makes sense to me on paper. Watkins is almost 24 years old. I think he wants to start his professional career. But, he could make serious money in college basketball, and that's hard to pass up."
Watkins led the Seminoles in scoring this past season en route to second-team All-ACC honors. The 6-foot-7, 210-pound wing averaged 18.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game and shot 42.7% from the field and 32.1% from the 3-point line (5.2 attempts per game).
RELATED (VIP): UNC Makes Contact with Portal Player
The NBA's early entry withdrawal deadline is June 15, but if Watkins wishes to retain his NCAA eligibility, a decision must be made by May 28. UNC boasts the No. 17 transfer portal class with five commitments. A commitment from Watkins would push the Tar Heels into the top 10.