Walter Clayton Jr. has at all times been a late bloomer — in basketball, not less than. As Clayton has grown into an all-time March Insanity hero throughout the 2025 NCAA event, a central a part of his lore is that Florida supplied him a soccer scholarship years earlier than he signed with the college out of the switch portal in basketball. The Gators weren’t alone in believing Clayton may very well be a stud defensive again on the soccer discipline, with Notre Dame, Georgia and Tennessee providing him, too.
Clayton did a humorous factor as soon as these soccer presents rolled in after his sophomore yr of highschool: He stop the game eternally to deal with basketball. He transferred to Bartow Excessive Faculty about 45 minutes exterior of Tampa for his remaining two years of prep ball, and led his college to back-to-back Florida state championships. Sadly for Clayton, the Covid pandemic restricted his publicity, and his solely presents had been from low-majors like Jacksonville, East Carolina, and Iona.
A kind of colleges simply so occurred to be coached by Rick Pitino. Pitino was constructing again his fame after dropping his job at Louisville amid widespread scandal, and Iona was the one college prepared to take an opportunity on him. One of many defining school coaches of his technology heard about Clayton, and determined he was price an opportunity, too.
After successful MAAC Participant of the Yr as a sophomore in 2023, Clayton transferred to Florida, and the remaining is rapidly changing into historical past.
Clayton is rewriting the NCAA event document books as he leads Florida into the nationwide championship sport towards Houston on Monday night time. His flurry of three-pointers bailed out the Gators within the spherical of 32 towards No. 8 seed UConn (higher referred to as the two-time defending nationwide champs). He was much more heroic within the Elite Eight towards Texas Tech, ripping three large three-pointers to carry Florida again from a 10-point deficit with beneath six minutes left.
Clayton saved his greatest for the Ultimate 4, dropping 34 factors on No. 1 general seed Auburn with one other nuclear burst of shot-making (5-of-8 from three) to seal the win.
The NCAA event at all times felt prefer it may very well be a launching pad for Clayton. He was among the finest guards within the nation this complete season, and he was enjoying his greatest ball late within the yr as Florida was rising right into a nationwide championship favourite. Clayton was named a AP First-Workforce All-American. We ranked him because the No. 3 participant in March Insanity coming into the event. By some means, even that was underrating him. Clayton has been one of the best participant within the 2025 NCAA event your entire approach by way of. Now the one query left to reply is what to make of his professional future.
Clayton didn’t seem in certainly one of our 2025 NBA mock drafts till our pre-tournament projection, which had had him at No. 27. Clayton shall be even increased in our subsequent mock draft coming Tuesday morning, however his draft inventory will stay a degree of rivalry.
Let’s dive into how Clayton’s sport interprets to the NBA, and the place he may very well be chosen.
Clayton’s pull up capturing is particular
Clayton has at all times been an excellent three-point shooter, hitting 38.5 p.c of his threes on 5.1 makes an attempt per sport coming into this yr throughout his first three school seasons. It seems like he’s taken one other leap as a shooter this yr, and it’s put him on NBA radars.
As a senior for Florida, Clayton has made 39.1 p.c of his threes on 301 makes an attempt coming into the nationwide championship sport. The bounce has are available his skill to create three-point appears for himself off the dribble. This has been on full show throughout March Insanity:
Final season, 85.9 p.c of Clayton’s three-pointers had been assisted. This yr, solely 55.9 p.c of his threes have been assisted. Having a guard who can pull-up from deep to beat the opposing protection is the stuff of stars, and Clayton has confirmed he has that talent.
Clayton has a super-quick launch off the catch
The fact for Clayton is he received’t play on-the-ball as a lot within the NBA. He’ll should be a dedicated ground spacer who can hearth a spot-up three-pointer with vary and quickness. Clayton is a pure catch-and-shoot menace, and his launch is lightning quick. Watch how rapidly he will get this shot off on the pitch from the nook.
Motion capturing like that is so essential within the NBA. If anybody sees Clayton’s catch-and-shoot numbers from Synergy, drop it within the feedback. Even higher, hook me up with a log-in!
Clayton became a full-time level guard this season
Clayton was extra of a capturing guard in his first season at Florida, with Zyon Pullin taking over lead playmaking duties. With Pullin graduating, Clayton has change into Florida’s full-time level guard with good outcomes.
Clayton’s help share jumped from 15.1 p.c as a junior to 22.7 p.c as a senior. He doesn’t have wonderful passing imaginative and prescient, however he could make primary reads and throw passes on time and on the right track.
What’s holding Walter Clayton again from being a lottery decide?
There’s completely an opportunity Clayton may nonetheless find yourself as a lottery decide. His March Insanity run has been that spectacular, and the center of the first-round is a bit tender on this draft class.
There’s two issues NBA groups will knock Clayton for: measurement and age. He’s listed at 6’2 or 6’3 relying on the positioning you have a look at. He’s already 22 years outdated, and can flip 23 as a rookie.
Each NBA staff needs large guards as of late who can defend a number of positions and play a connective position at each ends of the ground. Clayton’s protection has improved this yr, however he’ll be at a bodily drawback guarding NBA gamers. He’ll most likely be the smallest man on the ground in most of his NBA minutes.
Clayton’s skill to get to the rim and rating on the rim will even be questioned. He solely had 133 makes an attempt on the rim this yr, per Bart Torvik, which is a little bit of a low quantity for 38 video games performed. He made 64.7 p.c of these makes an attempt. Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, the doubtless No. 2 decide on this draft, had 170 rim makes an attempt in 29 video games, and made 70 p.c of these appears.
Clayton isn’t essentially the most explosive athlete, which hurts him ending on the rim and attending to the foul line. He solely had six dunks all yr, and his 41.9 p.c free throw price is a median quantity.
Small guards usually should be good playmakers, with the Cavs’ Darius Garland as a chief instance. Clayton is extra good than nice in that space. He received’t be a lead playmaker within the NBA. He’ll solely be a one place defender, too. He has star traits in school, however his skill to transition to an NBA position participant is a giant query.
Walter Clayton Jr. NBA comparability and draft projection
I’ll credit score Corey Tulaba of No Ceilings for one of the best Clayton comp to this point: Celtics guard Payton Pritchard.
Pritchard was a tremendous school participant, rating No. 6 on our checklist of one of the best gamers within the nation throughout 2019-2020. He’s gone on to have an ideal NBA profession as a bench scorer for the Celtics, and who is aware of what he may do in an even bigger alternative.
A pair extra comps I like for Clayton are Patty Mills and Cole Anthony. It’s potential Clayton generally is a higher shooter than each. That’s the place he’ll should make his cash.
Clayton’s draft vary is presently 15-30 within the first spherical of the 2025 NBA Draft. Will probably be an uphill climb for Clayton to change into an everyday rotation piece within the NBA, however he may have each alternative to show he’s worthy of a task.