He could’ve gone to the SEC. Here’s why SC’s top boys’ basketball recruit wanted Queens
Jordan Watford has loved his sport since the first time he picked up a basketball.
In addition to watching LeBron James at an early age, the star player for Lancaster High School grew up in a basketball family. Watford also tried his hand at baseball, football and soccer when he was younger, but quickly realized his home was on the hardwood.
Both his parents were collegiate basketball players: His father, Eric Watford, played at Winston-Salem State; while his mother, Greta McIlwain, played at Johnson C. Smith.
And now their son is on his way.
Jordan Watford, who averages 24 points per game for the Bruins, officially signed to play Division I basketball at Queens University of Charlotte.
The No. 1 player in South Carolina according to 247Sports, Watford is the highest-ranked recruit in the Royals’ program history.
“‘You’ve gotta take a name to make a name,’” Watford remembers hearing from Queens’ coaching staff. “That’s what I did. During the June period with the high school teams, we played against a kid who was being recruited. I happened to play really well and just got on their radar from then. That’s just always been my energy.
“And even though I’ve got a name now, I like to play like I’m the one hunting.”
‘You win with guys like that’
Queens has long had its eyes on the Lancaster standout — who boasts a 4.8 grade point average.
Watford, a strong academic student who is already taking college-level classes, initially arrived on the Queens campus as a sophomore. He’s been recruited closely by head coach Grant Leonard, and the Royals are ecstatic to have him.
Queens’ coaching staff felt he would become a coveted recruit — Watford also had an offer to play in the SEC at Mississippi State — and the Royals identified him as a top target.
“He’s a big-time leader on this team,” Leonard said. “You can see it every day — he’s a coach on the floor. Anytime you get a kid with that kind of character, but also the talent to go behind it. He’s athletic. He scores in multiple areas, he passes the ball well. My biggest thing is he just makes the right plays. And you can see that in his life too: He just makes the right decisions, and I think you win with guys like that.
“I think the world of him and his family. They’re gonna represent Queens in an unbelievable way, and I think it’s going to be very similar to their story at Lancaster. They’re going to be really proud of where he is, and he’s gonna win a lot of games and keep getting better.”
Watford is a star for Lancaster, chasing its first state championship
The 6-foot-5 combo guard leads the offense for the Bruins, who reached their first state title game in 74 years last season.
Watford had a strong second half in a 25-point performance as Lancaster fell to Irmo in the South Carolina Class 4A championship game in early March. It was the Bruins’ first appearance in the state title game since 1949-50, when they beat Darlington in the Class A title game.
Lancaster’s leader in nearly every statistical category, Watford has a presence down low, while he handles the ball for the offense and usually runs point.
In addition to a highlight-worthy dunk, Watford nailed a jumper during the final 30 seconds of the Bruins’ recent win over Independence that put the game at the Phenom Hoops New Year’s Bash on ice.
The Patriots gained one more possession with the clock dwindling and got up a shot — which Watford swatted back into the hands of his teammates.
His energy is contagious. The Lancaster players feed off Watford, and his leadership impresses beyond the basketball court.
“When you hear (his high GPA), I think he might have made his first ‘B’ this year or last year,” Lancaster head coach Jerron Cauthen said. “He’s just a leader. He comes from a very solid background. Mom played basketball in high school and college. Dad played high school and college. Both his sisters went to college on athletic scholarships with academic money as well.
“He comes from a very solid foundation. He has a tremendous amount of support, and he’s been brought up the right way. And most importantly, he loves basketball. Prep, private schools came after him — and he wanted to play with his brothers he grew up playing with. He wanted to play for me, and he wants to help the team win our first state championship.”
This story was originally published December 30, 2024 at 5:00 AM with the headline "He could’ve gone to the SEC. Here’s why SC’s top boys’ basketball recruit wanted Queens."
