Inside The Jazz

Florida Insider Reveals Jazz Rookie Walter Clayton's Pros & Cons

Utah Jazz rookie Walter Clayton Jr. put on a show at Florida. What should Jazz fans expect from the national champion?
Sean Ackerman|
Apr 7, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) reacts after cutting down a piece of the net after winning the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome.
Apr 7, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) reacts after cutting down a piece of the net after winning the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz traded up with the Washington Wizards in last night's NBA draft to select Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. with the 18th overall pick.

The former Gator won the NCAA tournament earlier this year, taking down the Houston Cougars in the national championship game. Clayton led a series of clutch comebacks, knocking down threes when it mattered most.

The Jazz already have many guards on the roster, but Clayton has the shot-making to elevate the backcourt to a new level. Florida's On SI writer Kyle Lander broke down Clayton's game ahead of his first professional season, giving him high praise while being a fair critic.

Pros of Clayton

Competitor - "What I mean, outside the obvious talent, is that he never gets rocked off his boat," Lander wrote. "He shows composure in any situation (good or bad) and goes about his business on the court like a pro."

Elite shot maker - "This is his biggest plus. You have probably seen his shot catalogue throughout the season, but if you go back to the tournament, it was arguably his best stretch. It doesn't matter if there's a hand in his face (a la, corner 3 against Auburn in the Final Four to make it a one-point game) or off step-back shots, he was knocking them down with ease. Additionally, on his array of shots, he always knows how to get his feet set and facing the basket. If you go back and look at the end of the Texas Tech game, his feet were always set as any shooter should, despite the shots coming from non-spot-up situations."

Finishing - "While he is not going to bully someone down low on drives, he knows how to absorb contact and finish at the rim," Lander continued. "He has also shown the ability to knock down running floaters, but doesn't do it often."

Versatility - "He isn't tied down to needing the ball in his hands at all times to score. Yes, this year he had better scoring numbers as the main ball handler, averaging 18.4, but he also showed in 2023-24 that he's very capable of doing his work without the ball, 17.6 points in his first year with Florida."

Cons of Clayton

Defense- "I don't believe he is necessarily a bad defender, I think his defense could be servicable at times," Lander explained. "However, in the NBA, he'll be picked on way more because of how offenses are run (isolation scoring) compared to the college level. Moreover, a major problem for him is that he tends to lose focus and lose his assignment when he's defending off the ball. Some of that could be down to him being the main scorer on offense, but it happened too much to be a good thing. He does have active hands, though, as noted by his 84 steals across his two seasons in Gainesville. "

Playmaker- "I think he is a decent passer, but at the same time, his turnovers are usually head-scratching decisions. He'll try to make certain passes that make no sense and end up giving it to the other team."

Clayton was an AP All-American his senior season by averaging 18.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 44.8% from the field. The Gators were a dominant force, ending the season on a 12-game winning streak en route to their first title in nearly 20 years.

Now, Clayton can bring some championship pedigree to Salt Lake City. The Jazz have kept their core intact with Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler, and Clayton will have the opportunity to link with the two all season long.

If Clayton can find a way to make it work defensively and as a passer, the Jazz should be in good hands.

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Sean Ackerman
SEAN ACKERMAN

Sean Ackerman is a staff writer and broadcaster covering the NBA and NFL for three On SI publications.

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