Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) shoots the ball in a basketball game against Alabama on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Photo by Noah Lantor | The Independent Florida Alligator
As an off-the-ball guard, Walter Clayton Jr. averaged more points last season. However, as Florida entered the 2024-25 season primed for its strongest campaign in decades, it was left with a whole to fill: point guard.
The Gators had been guided by All-SEC graduate Zyon Pullin the previous season as they broke through for their first year with over 20 wins since 2018. With Pullin’s departure, Golden turned to his most dominant scoring weapon to facilitate the offense
Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) shoots the ball in a basketball game against Alabama on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Photo by Noah Lantor | The Independent Florida Alligator
As an off-the-ball guard, Walter Clayton Jr. averaged more points last season. However, as Florida entered the 2024-25 season primed for its strongest campaign in decades, it was left with a whole to fill: point guard.
The Gators had been guided by All-SEC graduate Zyon Pullin the previous season as they broke through for their first year with over 20 wins since 2018. With Pullin’s departure, Golden turned to his most dominant scoring weapon to facilitate the offense.
It would be a lot for a young man to come back to college, finish up his career, move from being the two-guard to the primary ball handler and point guard,” Golden said. “Not only that, but take pride in it. It speaks to his maturity and his toughness, both mentally and physically, that he’s been able to navigate this year so well.”
Clayton Jr., a senior guard hailing from Lake Wales, Florida — who once traversed the east coast to New Rochelle, New York, to play for Iona before finding his way back — is at home on the court in Nashville. As he weaves between defenders, governing the ball with such authority it believes he is its owner, Clayton Jr. finds a gap and fires. With that, No. 4 UF trailed by one as what was a startling early deficit to No. 5 Alabama had disappeared. It never showed its face again.
Maybe there could’ve been a more engaging tale here: The Gators and Tide trading blows for an NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed, which ESPN projected was on the line. Two offensive stalwarts (No. 3 and 4, respectively, in the nation, per KenPom) hitting one shot after another, replenishing the lack of scoring from the day’s earlier SEC semifinal.
But that didn’t come to fruition on Saturday, much to Clayton Jr.’s credit for the second time in two weeks.
As was the case on March 5 — only 10 days earlier — Florida and Alabama matched up to secure the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee’s favor. While the Gators’ 104-82 victory on Saturday wasn’t nearly as competitive as the previous week, Clayton Jr.’s performances were akin
The recently-announced first-team All-American (Sporting News) has strung together four straight performances of 18 or more points. Additionally, the senior has averaged seven assists as the season wains, a jump from his 4.4 the rest of the year, solidifying his spot among the best point guards in the nation.
