Homenetmen Club has moved quickly to reinforce its roster, officially signing American forward Michael Watkins to replace Egyptian center Hamad Fathy ahead of the remainder of the Final 8 playoff series against Sagesse.
The move comes less than 24 hours after Homenetmen’s disappointing Game 1 defeat, a result that sparked controversy following comments made by head coach Joe Moujaes during his postgame media appearance.
Moujaes openly criticized Fathy’s performance, describing the Egyptian big man as “a liability” and stating that “he is just tall and can’t do anything on the court.” The comments quickly generated discussion across Lebanese basketball circles given Fathy’s status as one of Homenetmen’s marquee additions for the postseason.
Following the backlash, Moujaes later took to Instagram and issued a public apology, acknowledging that his comments were made in the heat of the moment after a frustrating defeat.
While the controversy dominated headlines, Homenetmen’s management wasted little time addressing its frontcourt situation by bringing in Watkins, a familiar face to Lebanese basketball fans.
The 6-foot-9 forward previously played in Lebanon with Antonine Club last season, where he earned a reputation as a versatile and energetic frontcourt player capable of contributing on both ends of the floor.
Unlike Fathy, whose game was built primarily around size and interior presence, Watkins brings greater mobility, defensive versatility, and transition play, qualities Homenetmen hopes will help match up against Sagesse’s athletic frontline led by Sekou Doumbouya, Simi Shittu, and Deshawndre Washington.
The signing represents a significant gamble for Homenetmen, who currently trail 1-0 in the best-of-five Final 8 series and face increasing pressure to respond after Sagesse’s dominant opening victory.
With the season potentially hanging in the balance, all eyes will now be on Watkins as he prepares for his second stint in Lebanese basketball.
Homenetmen hopes the veteran forward can provide an immediate spark and help shift the momentum of the series before it is too late.
As Game 2 approaches, one thing is certain: Homenetmen has made its move, and the spotlight now belongs to Michael Watkins.