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Illinois Basketball: 2022’s Christian Watson picks up Illini offer

By Zain Bando

TULSA, OK - MARCH 20: A view of the ball during the third round game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Kansas Jayhawks in the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at BOK Center on March 20, 2011 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
TULSA, OK - MARCH 20: A view of the ball during the third round game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Kansas Jayhawks in the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at BOK Center on March 20, 2011 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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The Illinois basketball team is continuing to look for future superstars, as they offered three-star 2022 West Coast product, Christian Watson, on July 2.

The Illini are in the midst of one of the wildest offseasons in recent memory. Kofi Cockburn gave Illinois fans a glimmer of hope when he announced he was withdrawing his name from the 2021 NBA Draft, along with the recent NIL developments that should hopefully give athletes the ability to prove what they are worth.

In addition to those massive news blurbs, the Illini are still in search of finding the best young talent possible in order to help the program spring to new heights. One of those potential hopefuls is 2022 point guard Christian Watson, who hails from Long Beach Poly, California.

At 6-foot-4, 150-pounds, the young guard was recently offered by Illinois on July 2. He is currently listed as a three-star recruit and the No. 40 point guard in the state of California.

“Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Illinois,” Watson wrote on Twitter regarding his newly-minted interest.

https://twitter.com/chriswatson_11/status/1411131757525704707?s=21

Illinois basketball target Christian Watson narrowed his top list to just eight teams.

Along with Illinois, Watson holds offers from a plethora of other top-tier programs and officially cut his list to eight hopefuls. While Illinois isn’t one of them, as of this writing, it doesn’t mean that things could shift or change after the 2021-2022 high school basketball season concludes.

Watson has narrowed his list down to the following schools — Marquette, Seaton Hall, Xavier, Rutgers, Georgetown, Miami (FL), and VCU. Out of those eight programs, two represent the Big Ten, which likely means that he is open to new environments and playing in one of the best conferences the country has to offer.

Check out Watson’s mixtape below, showcasing a brief clip from his junior season debut with Long Beach Poly High School.

Next. 2021 NBA Draft prospect Ayo Dosunmu to workout for the Indiana Pacers. dark

While nothing is set in stone, Watson’s recruitment is one to watch if Illinois can somehow remain in the running throughout the next year.

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