GAINESVILLE — UF All-American guard Walter Clayton Jr. was cool-headed and in management on his option to a nationwide championship, however the 22-year-old let the tears circulation Wednesday evening as his NBA dream turned actuality.
In a head-spinning flip of occasions for one of many draft’s fastest-rising gamers, Clayton was chosen with the No. 18 choose by the Washington Wizards, who promptly traded Clayton to the Utah Jazz.
Clayton rose into first-round consideration after a spectacular, nationwide championship senior season with the Gators. Because the draft neared, his inventory continued to climb.
Clayton attended the draft on the Barclays Heart in Brooklyn, simply 25 miles south of the place he started his school profession at Iona College. Decked out in a sports activities jacket, belt and sneakers from the posh model AMIRI, he posed on the crimson carpet exterior the sector.
Getting into Wednesday’s first spherical, Clayton appeared on observe to start his NBA profession near his native Lake Wales. The Miami Warmth, homeowners of the No. 20 choice, had labored him out a number of instances whereas the Orlando Magic have been another choice with choose No. 25.
As a substitute, the Wizards undercut each Florida franchises, drafted and traded Clayton to Utah in alternate for the No. 21 choose and a number of second-round picks.
Clayton was overwhelmed as he acquired the information by cellphone. He then stood up and hugged his mom, Cherie Foster. Quickly he joined NBA commissioner Adam Silver on stage.
Clayton is because of earn $19.32 million in the course of the four-year deal, together with $3.99 million as a rookie.
UF coach Todd Golden was within the New York Metropolis borough for the draft, the place he gushed about Clayton throughout an interview with NBA TV previous to the draft.
“Extremely coachable, a man who needs to be a frontrunner and an awesome work ethic,” Golden stated. “Over the past yr, I’d argue he was the perfect participant in school basketball. He led us to 36 wins and a nationwide championship … only a man with an awesome aggressive nature about him.”
Clayton performed two seasons at Iona, the place he was Metro Atlantic Athletic Convention participant of the yr as a sophomore in 2023, earlier than he transferred to UF. He led the Gators in scoring in 2023-24 however took his sport to a different degree final season to turn into the college’s first first-team Related Press All-America choice.
He completed the season averaging 18.3 factors, 3.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals whereas making 120 3s, however Clayton was at his finest in the course of the postseason. He scored at the very least 22 factors in six of 9 video games, together with back-to-back 30-point video games in the course of the Elite Eight and Ultimate 4.
“He’s a man that these NBA franchises are going to have a look at and say, ‘It is a man that we will play subsequent yr that may assist us win, that may area the ground, that may make performs out of the ball display, a man that has vary as much as 28, 29, 30 ft, and might make gamers round him higher,’ ” Golden stated.
Clayton turned the thirteenth UF participant chosen within the opening spherical, relationship to heart Neal Stroll’s choice with the No. 2 choose by Phoenix in 1969 after UCLA’s Lew Alcindor. Tre Mann, the No. 13 choose by Oklahoma Metropolis in 2021, was the Gators’ most up-to-date first-round choose.
First-round Gators
Identify Place Yr Choice Crew
Neal Stroll C 1969 No. 2 Phoenix SunsDwayne Schintzius C 1990 No. 2 San Antonio SpursJason Williams G 1998 No. 7 Sacramento KingsDonnell Harvey F 2000 No. 22 New York KnicksMike Miller G 2000 No. 5 Orlando MagicDavid Lee F 2005 No. 30 New York KnicksAl Horford F 2007 No. 3 Atlanta HawksCorey Brewer F 2007 No. 7 Minnesota TimberwolvesJoakim Noah C 2007 No. 9 Chicago BullsMarreese Speights C 2008 No. 16 Philadelphia 76ersBradley Beal G 2012 No. 3 Washington WizardsTre Mann G 2021 No. 18 Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder
Edgar Thompson may be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
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