Walter Clayton, The star of the NCAA Tournament to this point, is deservedly receiving more and more draft buzz. He’s been a superstar shotmaker at the college level for years now dating back to his time at Iona. Can Clayton’s tough shotmaking, acrobatic style translate to the NBA?
Team: Florida
Height: 6’3
Weight: 195
Wingspan: 6’4
Age: 22.9 (March 6, 2003)
Walter Clayton Jr. — Guard, Florida (22.9 years old)
NBA Comparison: Coby White, Terry Rozier
Clayton’s special shotmaking talent and athletic tools could see him developing into low-end star in the mold of another stout, jittery shotmaker like White. Even if he can’t develop into a star, Clayton should be talented
Strengths
Nuclear shotmaker with years of elite shooting on his resume, incredible tough/off-balance shotmaker with unlimited range
Smart off-ball mover, finds pockets of space to shoot and drive off the catch
Tight handle with both hands, splits ball screens and controls against pressure
Passes with both hands with solid vision to find rollers and kickouts
Thick, explosive point of attack defender, blows through and evades screens, great defending guards
Excellent strength and power, explosive leaper
Has the vertical bounce and instincts to develop into a passable off-ball defender
Weaknesses
Relies heavily on tough shotmaking on the ball, can settle for difficult attempts
Bursty/quick enough to beat switches, but can struggle to separate without a screen against athletic defenders
Questionable decision maker on the ball, turns down easy passes/shots
Inconsistent off-ball defensive effort, loses engagement/fails to tag and rotate low
Struggles to chase through off-ball screens
Offensive role: On-Ball Scorer/Bench Creator
Defensive role: Point of Attack Defender
2025 NBA Draft Projection: Round 1, Pick 20-25
Clayton must scale down at the NBA level and prove he can sharpen his decision making and defensive effort playing next to other stars. His long history of elite shooting and great athletic tools give him quite a bit of NBA upside and a solid rotation floor.
