If you could put yourself in Torrence Watson’s shoes for a day, or even just an hour, you’d gain a better perspective of what it’s like to be a 17-year-old, four-star basketball recruit.
“I think it’s definitely just a blessing to have college coaches interested in you and want you," said Watson. "But at the same time it can sometimes become a burden with the recruiting process.”
From the SEC to the Atlantic 10, and the Big 12 to the Big East, Watson had 14 schools vying for his talents. Only one would come out on top on July 10.
“It gets rough the older that you get," added Watson. "More coaches start calling. More coaches start texting you and sometimes you just want it to be over. So, I think making this decision really gave me a lot of relief."
Via his Twitter page, Watson made it official with the Big Ten's Ohio State Buckeyes. Stating just how difficult of a decision it was, but in the end, something just felt right.
#BuckeyeNation pic.twitter.com/lRCDTPfd9z
— Torrence Watson (@TorrenceWatson) July 11, 2017
“I felt really good with the coaching staff that recruited me for two previous years at Butler and then I was one of the first recruits that they contacted as soon as they got to Ohio State. So I really felt comfortable with them.”
Sporting the scarlet and gray next year won’t be anything new for Watson because every night before he goes to sleep those colors surround him. The letters OSU are painted on his door. Brutus the Buckeye is on his wall and before he shuts off the light he can even check the time thanks to his Ohio State “O” clock. It’s a room that certainly impressed Buckeyes' coach Chris Holtmann.
“He loved that," Watson said with a smile. "I told him on the visit. He loved to hear that. He said it wasn’t coincidence.”
Like any successful relationship, it’s a two-way street, and the newly hired Holtmann made quite an impression on the 6-foot-5 shooting guard.
“I guess just talking to him almost every day. I talked to him and one of the assistants every day, so just building that strong relationship with them really made a difference.”
“He’s a big relationship guy," added Mike Potsou, Watson's high school coach at Whitfield. "I don’t think he necessarily gets wowed by the facilities as much as he does about the people that make up the program. You heard him talk about that a little bit and ultimately I think that’s really what it came down to.”
It also doesn't hurt that it looks a little bit like home.
