Plenty of exciting upperclassmen are in the draft this year, but one stands apart from the others. That player is Walter Clayton Jr., who has been highly impressive this season. His shooting, improved playmaking, and clutch play led the Florida Gators to a top seed in the NCAA Tournament and a national championship. Given his ability to lead a team and be such a threat from a distance, he will unquestionably have suitors in the draft. Let’s jump into an evaluation of Walter Clayton Jr. in this 2025 NBA Draft profile.
Walter Clayton Jr. 2025 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
Clayton began his impressive collegiate career at Iona University, playing his first two years with the Gaels. For his first season in particular, Clayton played a solid role off the bench for Iona. As a result, he was selected to the MAAC All-Freshman team. Clayton had an even more impressive sophomore season, serving as a starter, and averaged nearly 17 points. He earned the MAAC Player of the Year award and an All-MAAC Tournament selection. Clayton transferred to Florida for his junior year, immediately becoming a starting guard there and taking the Gators back to the NCAA Tournament. He added to his awards collection by picking up an All-SEC second-team selection and an All-SEC Tournament selection.
This past season, Clayton’s impact and production grew even more, which helped Florida become a powerhouse throughout the season. He averaged 18.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.2 steals in 32.6 minutes per game. Furthermore, he shot 44.8% from the field, 38.6% from three, and 87.5% from the free-throw line. Clayton fearlessly led the Gators through an incredible NCAA run, which included multiple clutch games from him. His efforts on the season helped Florida win the NCAA Championship, and Clayton gained even more honors. Specifically, Clayton earned an All-SEC first-team selection, an All-SEC Tournament selection, an NCAA All-Tournament selection, and won the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player award.
Strengths
Easily, Clayton’s best aspect as a player is his ability to knock down threes at a high level. He shot 38.6% from beyond the arc this past season on 7.8 three-point attempts per game, proving himself to be one of the best shooters in the class and ready for NBA range. He can shoot the ball in a variety of ways, including spotting-up, running off screens, and off the dribble. Paired with his versatile shot profile is his innate ability to move off the ball, always trying to find ways to break free for a clean look.
On the ball, he is a major pull-up threat from both the three and mid-range areas. Clayton has a smooth and quick release, making him always able to get a shot off. Additionally, Clayton has shown many times that he is willing to take and make shots from well beyond the arc. Not only that, but Clayton isn’t afraid of the big moments, always looking to make the clutch play for his team. Clayton has also improved as a passer, becoming better at making simple reads against the defense.
Weaknesses
The clearest weakness of Clayton is that he is a small guard at 6-foot-2. At that height, Clayton will have certain difficulties on both ends of the floor. On defense, it’s clear that he will be targeted by opposing offenses, and he can struggle to guard stronger players. Clayton can also lose focus defensively on occasion, especially when defending off the ball. While he is typically good at reading passing lanes, Clayton can find himself out of position to defend when gambling for steals. His size is also a negative factor on offense because finishing at the rim will be more difficult against NBA athletes. This is even more of an issue because Clayton isn’t the best at generating rim pressure or finishing at the rim.
Additionally, Clayton does have concerns over his passing and overall decision-making despite the improvements that he has made. His reads and level of playmaking raise major questions about whether Clayton can play as a full-time point guard. In particular, he isn’t the most advanced passer and doesn’t consistently make the right reads. Clayton can make simple passes, but can find himself forcing shots instead of moving the ball.
NBA Comparison
Given his overall skill set, two names come to mind in terms of player comparisons. Those two players are current Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard and current New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum. All three players are excellent three-pointers and use their speed and finesse to outwork opponents. The three of them can be deployed in different shooting roles and still excel. They are all capable of putting up big scoring numbers and being a playmaker for their respective teammates. Plus, they can all operate well off the ball.
2025 NBA Draft Projection
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