Peyton Watson has an impressive list of believers he’s looking to prove right in his second season with the Denver Nuggets

Growing up as an elite prospect in Los Angeles, there was plenty of exposure to pros, especially in the summer. Kevin Durant and Paul George were some of the first big names to express their belief in Watson’s game.

“It really meant a lot to me, because it gave me that confidence. They thought that I was going to be a pro at that age,” Watson said Monday. “Just going through the whole process, even if it didn’t go exactly how we would’ve planned it, I got here nonetheless. They know what my abilities are. They’ve seen what I can do, and I’m only scratching the surface of what I can do.”

Snoop Dogg was the latest to show Watson some love after his rookie season ended with a championship ring. During a summer concert at Ball Arena, the rapper sported Watson’s No. 8 Nuggets jersey. Both attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School.

There have been plenty of other believers in between.

A consensus top-10 recruit and McDonald’s All-American in the high school class of 2021, Watson had plenty of opportunities at the next level. He chose to stay close to home and attend UCLA for a season before entering the NBA Draft. His lone season as a Bruin came with limited playing time. He didn’t start a single game and averaged under 13 minutes of playing time, posting 3.3 points and 2.9 rebounds. That was enough to make Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth a believer. The Nuggets traded JaMychal Green to Oklahoma City to get the 30th overall pick and selected Watson.

“That could be something you look at as a speed bump. But for me, I just look at it as something that helped me, honestly,” Watson said of his time in college. “I’ve never been hungrier in my life than I have been these past couple of years. I’ve been working my tail off night in and night out, trying to be the best player that I can be and continue to prove people like Calvin Booth right. … He believed in me since day one. I’m going to continue to prove him right.”

Like his freshman season at UCLA, Watson’s rookie season in the NBA didn’t come with immediate playing time. He spent a good chunk of the season putting up some gaudy stat lines with Denver’s G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold. He ended up making 23 appearances for the Nuggets, including a couple of starts late in the regular season. He also got a taste of the postseason, playing at the end of five of the Nuggets’ 20 playoff games.

“He was a guy that was a non-rotation player for most of the year. Then, when given the opportunity, he went out there and played well against some really good teams and players,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “So, embrace the opportunity but understand nothing is going to be given to you. He’s got to continue to work for this and prove to not only me and the coaches but his teammates that he’s worthy of that opportunity.”

The March 31 game against the Suns, which played their new starting five featuring Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, served as Watson’s first taste of extending playing time. In 27 minutes off the bench, Watson finished with five points, eight rebounds and a couple of blocks. In the Nuggets’ next game Watson swatted three shots in 20 minutes against the Warriors, adding eight points on six shots and five rebounds. Those defensive showings made a believer out of Aaron Gordon.

“Peyton has a great opportunity to be something very special in this league. His feel for the game at such a young age is really important, and it’s something that is rare, just his ability to be natural and instinctive on the floor. His nose for the ball on defense is outstanding,” Aaron Gordon said.

“He was just whooping shots left and right. We’re expecting him to really come in and contribute on the defensive end and hold his own on the offensive side as well.”

Watson closed his first regular season with a career-high 13 points against the Sacramento Kings.

“That last stint of games in the regular season really allowed me to just put things into perspective, see the NBA in a whole new light,” Watson said.

That experience led him to appreciate things like knowing opponents’ personnel and understanding game-plan discipline. He also spent some of the offseason studying tape of defenders like Brooklyn’s Mikal Bridges and Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels. There’s also 20 pounds of added muscle that should make life easier in his second professional season, especially if he’s asked to pick up some of the minutes at backup power forward after Vlatko Cancar’s injury.

“All those things play a huge part in the game. It was night and day for me once I took those things as serious as possible,” Watson said. “That’s something that I really, really fine-tuned this summer.”

Still, there’s no guarantee that additional playing time will come his way in his second season. Malone has maintained throughout the preseason that the bench minutes will go to whoever earns them. The Nuggets coach said Watson will get a chance to play, but there are no promises being handed out. Watson has a plan in place to convince any remaining nonbelievers.

“Everybody knows when I get on the court that I’m going to go out there and play hard. I’m going to make plays. I’m going to defend. I’m going to rebound. I’m going to run the floor, but I think it just comes down to the hard work,” Watson said. “Them seeing my face in the gym, them knowing that at 21-years-old I’m ready to be a part of a championship-contending team. (It’s) just being mature, watching film, things like that. Those little things really mean a lot, especially when you’re in the position that I’m in. I’ve just been taking it as seriously as possible. The opportunity is there, so I’m going to take it.”