Tyrone Watson, one of the most popular players to sport a Halifax Hurricanes’ jersey, has made the switch to the coaching ranks.
The 30-year-old Watson – who played four pro hoops seasons in Halifax (one with the Rainmen and three more with the Hurricanes) – didn’t think his playing career would come to a halt so quickly but is quite content with his new role as assistant basketball coach with the St. Francis Xavier X-Men.
“I literally was just playing in August and was soaking that up,” recalled Watson, referring to his time with the Niagara River Lions of the Canadian Elite Basketball League. The league held a seven-team bubble tournament in St. Catharines, Ont., over the summer.
“It still hasn’t sunk in that the playing career is over. We recently had a practice and Coach K (outgoing St. F.X. head coach Steve Konchalski) asked me to join the 3-on-3 because we were down a man. I told him, ‘don’t worry coach, I got this.’
“Some of the guys hadn’t seen me play before and they were saying, ‘wow, coach can really play.’ I just stopped playing in August, not five years ago. I can still give them a go for their money,” he added with a laugh.
"My love for Halifax is like no other. I started my career there and played four years. That place is literally home to me. That whole vibe in Scotiabank Centre was so great. They were warm and welcoming and always on my side throughout my career."
- Tyrone Watson
The six-foot-five 225-pound Watson, who was hired by St. F.X. in late October, spent seven seasons as a pro in the National Basketball League of Canada and stints in China, Bahrain and last summer in the CEBL.
The New Mexico State grad would thrill Scotiabank Centre fans with his trademark bicep flex after a blocked shot or strong defensive play. Watson, the 2015 NBL Canada Canadian player of the year, made life tough for opponents close to the basket. He was once selected to the league’s all-defensive team and earned all-Canadian honours three times.
“My love for Halifax is like no other,” Watson said. “I started my career there and played four years. That place is literally home to me. That whole vibe in Scotiabank Centre was so great. They were warm and welcoming and always on my side throughout my career.
“I’m only two hours away in Antigonish. If the league comes back, I'll get out to see the team and hang out with the fans.”
Watson, who joined the St. John’s Edge prior to the 2019-20 NBL season, was averaging 32 minutes a game with the Edge and 11.6 points per game before COVID-19 cut the season short last March. The pandemic helped fast-tracked his decision to hang up his sneakers.
“I thought about my playing career and what I wanted to do going forward,” Watson said. “Coaching was pretty much in the back of my mind. It was just a matter of when.
“Of course, because of COVID and the uncertainty of returning to the league, and the uncertainty of the league itself, it sped up the whole process. I would’ve preferred to play one or two more seasons but this is probably a smoother transition. I can get myself into the community and be around the players and around the program. It’s all been working out pretty well minus the fact we haven’t been able to play.
“It’s all been a neat little process. I’m still trying to gain the wisdom and knowledge and asking a million questions and just trying to do my best.”
Watson has a long-time connection with Tyrell Vernon, the former St. F.X. player who was hired by the university in April 2019 to work as an associate coach with Konchalski and will take over the full-time reins when Coach K retires on April 1.
“We grew up together,” Watson said of the 32-year-old Vernon, who played two seasons at X and spent some time with the NBL Canada’s Mississauga Power.
“We’re both from Hamilton and we played basketball competitively against each other in high school and at the pro level. We have a great relationship. He was the one who told me about the job opportunity and asked if I was interested because he knew I wanted to go down that route. He thought it would be a great fit for me and get my coaching career kick-started. They had an opportunity where they lost their grad assistant for work reasons and the position became available for me. It all came together and very fast.”
His first Atlantic university season as a coach, though, is off to an unfortunate start.
St. F.X. was to host the 2021 U Sports Final 8 championship in March at Scotiabank Centre in Konchalski’s swan song. But Atlantic university basketball – as well as hockey, volleyball, swimming and curling – was pushed to the sidelines after the AUS announced last month it will not proceed with conference-sanctioned regular season competition or championships for the 2021 winter season.
“When the cases in Halifax went up I wasn’t surprised,” Watson said. “I’m happy that they chose to go with safety first. We can’t have an outbreak happened just because were being selfish in our own way to play basketball. We don’t want to play when there’s a chance of someone getting sick or potentially getting other people sick. It’s something we had to take seriously. I feel bad for the fifth-year guys. But there's more to life than just basketball.”
While the AUS will not proceed with games, the universities will be permitted to engage in some kind of competition, like scrimmages and exhibition games, after the holiday break, as long as it follows public health directives.
“I told our players we may not be playing but this is a great time to work on our strengths and improve on weaknesses and just get better as players,” Watson said.
Although his pro career came to an abrupt end, he’s still leaving the door slightly open next summer for one last shot with the River Lions, if the opportunity arises.
“I told the guys I’ll come back if you need me for 10 minutes a game, not the 25-30 they warranted from me,” he said jokingly.
“They had such a good culture in Niagara with knowledgeable basketball people on the staff. It was a great relationship.
“It’ll all depend on my schedule and if I have any free time. If my availability is there, I would like a more proper send off. If it doesn’t happen, I’m OK with that.”
