Florida’s Title Fueled by Potential NBA Draft Picks

The Gators earned their third championship via play from its trio of potential draft picks.

Apr 7, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) cuts down the net after defeating the Houston Cougars in the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

On Monday night, the Florida Gators completed a 12-point comeback over the Houston Cougars, cementing their third national title in thrilling fashion.

The Gators have been one of the best teams all season, dominating SEC play and in turn most of the early games in the NCAA Tournament. 

Their memorable season has mostly been fueled by a host of potential 2025 NBA draftees, including guard Walter Clayton Jr., forward Thomas Haugh and center Alex Condon.

To this point, Clayton leads the pack, having dominated all season long with 18.5 points per game as a 6-foot-3 lead guard. He has an effective scoring punch, able to do so at all three levels, with a nice mix of all-around game at 4.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game. He scored 30-plus points in both the Elite Eight and Final Four — the first to do so since Larry Bird — and despite a down performance in the title, likely pushed his stock to the first round in March.

Condon has also gained some draft acclaim, standing at 6-foot-11 with a potentially modern skillset for a true center. The sophomore added 10.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 blocks per game in anchoring the paint for the Gators, even adding 33% shooting from three on fairly limited volume.

A projected late-first or early second, Condon has a ways to go in becoming a truly positive player — as was showcased by his up-and-down performance against Houston — but for any team needing a big gamble, he could be well worth it.

The final piece to the championship puzzle for Florida was its forward in Haugh, who’s come on especially recently as a potential draft pick. He’s soared up boards and mocks in March, having put the finishing touches on a near-10-point, six-rebound, two-assist season. He can do a bit of everything at 6-foot-9, mostly boasting a mistake free game in the scoring, passing and defensive departments.

The 2025 NBA Draft is now just a few months away, and Florida could hear as many as three names on draft night.