UCLA Recruit Earl Watson Fulfills Childhood Dream

People who have followed college basketball here for more than a few years say a Baron Davis-Earl Watson backcourt would resemble the one UCLA had when Mike Warren and Lucius Allen played together.

I figured I would have to explain that to Watson. After all, Warren and Allen played for the Bruins 30 years ago. But Watson knew them, and not only because he saw Warren on “Hill Street Blues.”

Allen, like Watson, is from Kansas City, Kan. Once a Kansas City star, always a Kansas City star.

UCLA fans will have their first chance to see Watson at the Long Beach State Pyramid tonight, when he plays in the Eddie Jones Southern California All-Star Classic for high school seniors from throughout the country.

Watson, who said playing for UCLA was a childhood dream because of the tradition Allen helped create, committed to the Bruins when Jim Harrick was the coach and remained committed because he admired Steve Lavin.

Kansas’ Roy Williams recruited him, but Watson didn’t like the suggestion in the newspapers there that he was the consolation in case the Jayhawks didn’t sign their point guard of choice, Davis of Santa Monica Crossroads. Not that Watson isn’t eager to play with Davis.

To the contrary, he said they complemented each other when they shared the backcourt for a high school all-star team in a tournament last summer.

“Whichever one of us got the ball just went with it,” Watson said.

He just didn’t want to be recruited as an insurance policy. Lavin assured him, Watson said, he was wanted whether or not Davis signs with the Bruins.

If Watson does well at UCLA, it’s likely that a couple of his touted AAU teammates from Kansas City, juniors JaRon Rush and Korleone Young, will be paying attention.

After recruiting players such as Jacque Vaughn, Paul Pierce and Scot Pollard from Southern California, Williams has to be concerned the pipeline will start flowing the other direction.

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Watson will play with two other future UCLA teammates tonight, Billy Knight of Westchester High and Travis Reed of A.B. Miller High in Fontana. . . .

They will play against a couple of future USC rivals, Kevin Augustine of Santa Ana Mater Dei and Greg Lakey of Lynwood High. . . .

I’m not sure how many Trojans are paying attention. It’s football’s second season. The annual spring game is scheduled for Saturday at 11 a.m. at Howard Jones Field. . . .

The Trojans will learn before the game whether one of their former players has been chosen No. 1 in the NFL draft for the second consecutive year. The New York Jets, who have the first pick, are considering defensive tackle Darrell Russell. . . .

Last year, the Jets chose Keyshawn Johnson, wide receiver and, now, noted author. . . .

In conjunction with the spring game, USC’s athletic department is holding a garage sale for old apparel, equipment and other items. . . .

Maybe O.J.’s Heisman Trophy will be there. . . .

Lavin and Anaheim Piranha Coach Mike Hohensee are speakers at today’s Sports Newsmakers Luncheon at the Pond of Anaheim. . . .

On Wednesday night at the Pond, the Ducks and Phoenix appear in the first NHL playoff game in Southern California since June 7, 1993, when the Kings met Montreal in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals. . . .

The Kings have nothing to look forward to until May 18, the date of the draft lottery. . . .

Finishing third from the bottom, they have a 15.1% chance of winning the first pick in the June 21 draft. . . .

Forget Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. The BBC’s Peter Allis says Tiger Woods should be compared to other precocious phenoms such as Mozart and Chopin. . . .

Tom Lasorda will receive the Heroes and High Hopes Award from the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Wednesday night at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Marina del Rey. . . .

Lasorda and his wife, Jo, are building a youth center near Yorba Linda in memory of their son, Tom Jr. . . .

A model of the statues honoring Jackie and Mack Robinson will be on display at noon today at Pasadena’s Central Library. . . .

At the end of a highlight film honoring Jackie Robinson on the scoreboard Sunday in Pittsburgh, the music played was “Movin’ on Up” from “The Jeffersons” TV show. Very tacky. . . .

“The income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf has,” Will Rogers said.

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While wondering if Woods can play a polonaise, I was thinking: the Kings had better have a serious off-season, the Galaxy should find a place in the lineup for Paul Caligiuri, the only way I’d bet against Captain Bodgit in the Kentucky Derby is if he were ridden by Butterbean.