The Florida Gators are on top of the college basketball world again after beating Houston 65-63 in Monday night's national championship game that capped off an exciting Final Four and NCAA Tournament.
One player whose draft stock rose quite a bit throughout March Madness is Florida point guard Walter Clayton Jr. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament after averaging a team-high 22.3 points per game, including a 34-point performance in the Final Four win over Auburn.
Clayton didn't have an amazing offensive performance in the title game versus Houston, but he hit some clutch shots in the second half and made a great defensive play on the Cougars' final possession that secured a title for the Gators.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
A DEFENSIVE STOP TO BECOME THE CHAMPIONS 🏆
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 8, 2025
THE GATORS CAME UP HUGE WHEN IT MATTERED MOST 🙌#MarchMadness #NationalChampionship @GatorsMBK pic.twitter.com/T9cYmeRZd3
There's a lot of debate over Clayton's fit in the draft. Should he go in the first round? He doesn't have a ton of size or elite athleticism, so will he drop to the second round?
ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo published a new 2025 NBA mock draft Tuesday morning, and they project the Boston Celtics taking Clayton at No. 28 overall in the first round.
"Clayton helped his standing significantly in the NCAA tournament, posting an efficient 30 and 34 points in the Elite Eight and national championship semifinals, before struggling in the final but still helping his team cut down the nets," Givony writes. "The 6-4 guard earned first-team All-America honors with his tremendous shotmaking prowess and all-around scoring, making big plays in clutch moments all season while creating chaos for opposing defenses with his speed and unpredictable nature.
"NBA teams have questions about Clayton's defense, passing and feel for the game, as he can be mistake-prone on both ends of the floor and isn't blessed with great physical tools with his average size, length and strength. Scouts are comparing his NCAA tournament performance with Shabazz Napier a decade ago, which similarly earned him a spot in the late first round, though Clayton is taller and more explosive, but also a little more mercurial."
More Celtics coverage
You can never have enough players who want the ball in clutch moments, and Clayton isn't afraid of those situations. He can shoot 3-pointers well and his ability to finish at the rim is impressive, too.
Celtics forward and Florida alum Al Horford seems to be a huge fan of Clayton. Horford was at Monday's game and congratulated Clayton on winning the title.
"Winner" 😤
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) April 8, 2025
Walter Clayton Jr. and Gator legend Al Horford shared a moment after Florida won the national championship 🐊 pic.twitter.com/d8rTx9OBod
"He's such a smart player," Horford said of Clayton's performance Monday in a postgame interview with John Fanta. "He's a team player. He understood they were gonna double him and he needed to get his guys involved. He was looking to pass early, and then he took his moments late and scored some big baskets for us.
"He's just a winner. He knows how to play. I know that I'm going to be playing against him next year in the NBA. Maybe he'll be with us, who knows? I'm sure he'll be playing in the NBA."
The Celtics could go in one of several different directions with their 2025 first-round pick. The most important goal should be finding a player who can contribute right away. Clayton should be able to do that, at least offensively.
