Walter Clayton Jr. returning for senior season with Florida Gators
Florida Gators junior guard Walter Clayton Jr. has withdrawn from the 2024 NBA Draft and will return to school next season, Gators Online has confirmed.
Clayton was the Gators’ leader scorer last season, averaging 17.6 points per game. He earned second-team All-SEC honors and SEC All-Tournament team recognition during his first season at UF.
Clayton was a top-five scorer in the SEC and his 633 points for the year ranks No. 5 in school history. He made some memorable shots during the season, including a 3-pointer to force overtime in the win at Kentucky.
A native of Lake Wales, Fla., Clayton posted 15 games with 20-plus points and exploded for 33 points in the Gators’ NCAA Tournament game vs. Colorado, including a game-tying 3-pointer from the logo with 9.7 seconds left in regulation.
Clayton also wrote his name in the Florida record books with 93 3-pointers made (8th/single season), 42 consecutive free throws made (tied-1st), 23 straight games with a 3-pointer (tied-8th, active streak entering 2024-25) and an .877 free throw percentage (10th/single season).
“It means a lot,” Clayton said of helping the Gators reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years. “I hope it means a lot to everybody. I think it does. Just coming back and trying to build something here. This is kind of a stepping stone to keep on moving forward.”
Clayton declared for the 2024 NBA Draft on April 8 and had a decision to make after playing well at the G League Elite Camp earlier this month. He had 14 points, five rebounds and three assists in his first game, followed by 17 points and four rebounds.
Clayton’s testing results also boosted his draft stock. He recorded a 37.5-inch max vertical leap, which ranked eighth out of 45 players.
Clayton stood out in the agility workouts as well, posting some of the best times in the shuttle (2.83 seconds left — which led all players — and 3.03 seconds right), 3/4 court sprint (3.23) and pro lane (10.52) drills. These numbers and his play in the scrimmages opened the eyes of some NBA scouts.
Clayton was grateful for the opportunity to compete at the G League Elite Camp.
“Just kinda trying to get a feel for where I’m at,” Clayton told CBS Sports national college basketball writer Isaac Trotter in Chicago. “Get good feedback and see if I can make it happen this year. There’s a lot of eyes out here. Eyes I’ve been trying to get in front of my whole life, so just to get to this point, I want to just play hard. It’s definitely a good feeling, being able to know all the hard work has paid off. Obviously, there are more steps to go, more ways to go, but where I’m at right now, I’m just thankful.”
The post Walter Clayton Jr. returning for senior season with Florida Gators appeared first on On3.
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