The men's basketball team may not have participated in the Final Four last weekend, but that doesn't mean it wasn't well represented in New Orleans.
Senior forward Mitchell Watt helped get the weekend's festivities underway on Friday, when he participated in the annual Reese's All-Star Game, reserved for the nation's best seniors. His 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting helped the East team win 103-99.
For Watt it was his chance to show NBA scouts how he stacks up against some of the best players that college basketball has to offer. Marquette's Jae Crowder may have stolen the show with his 25-point outburst, but Watt certainly made his presence felt.
"They were all good players," Watt said. "They put their egos aside for a little bit and we had a couple good days of practice and went out there and played together for the most part. It was just cool to have so many different personalities from so many different schools on two teams, competing for one night for a little bit of fun."
Perhaps the number one skill that the senior showcased was his versatility, as he showed his 3-point prowess by sinking his only attempt from behind the arc. Watt also proved his ability to be a competent passing big with three assists and showcased his perimeter defense with a pair of steals.
Watt also got back to his roots as an interior presence in the game as well, allowing those who tuned into TruTV to understand why he's garnered the moniker "Mitchell Swatt" during his time with the Bulls. Watt swatted away three shots over the course of the game.
"I think I did pretty well," Watt said. "I did a couple of different things, had a couple steals, had some blocks, got a few rebounds. I think overall I had pretty good showing down there. Probably would have liked to rebound the ball a little better than I did but I went out there with a lot of energy and had some fun."
With the game finishing up on Friday, Watt was then able to enjoy the city of New Orleans during the Final Four for the next two days as a reward for being named to the all-star team. He also attended both of Saturday night's Final Four games as a spectator before flying back to Buffalo.
"It's an amazing city with a lot of energy which is perfect for the Final Four," Watt said. "Just being there around all the excitement [was great]. Being a basketball fan just adds to it."
The respite ends there though, as the senior gets right back to work preparing for his biggest audition ever. He will participate in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament April 11-14 in New Hampshire, where he'll get even more of an opportunity to show his skills to representatives of the 30 NBA teams.
Portsmouth is widely considered to be one of the most premier NBA draft camps. Over the last decade 101 participants from the P.I.T. have gone on to play in the NBA.
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