CBS Sports' latest NBA mock draft has Walter Clayton Jr. going to this team out west
CBS Sports' latest NBA mock draft has Walter Clayton Jr. going to this team out west
Former Florida basketball guard Walter Clayton Jr. is officially getting first-round buzz ahead of the 2025 NBA draft, with CBS Sports projecting him at No. 29 overall to the Phoenix Suns.
Clayton, who averaged 18.3 points per game and shot 38.6 percent from three last season, was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2025 Final Four. His draft stock soared following a scorching NCAA Tournament run, where he averaged over 22 points and shot 43.5 percent from beyond the arc.
CBS Sports' Gary Parrish called him "a skilled and unique shotmaker" and noted that while scouts have concerns about his decision-making and defense, his ability to score at all three levels make him a valuable late-first-round target.
If selected, Clayton would become Florida's first NBA first-round pick since Tre Mann in 2021 when the Oklahoma City Thunder selected him with the 18th overall pick.
Clayton's rise caps off a remarkable career transformation under head coach Todd Golden and solidifies the Gators' place back among college basketball's elite programs.
What CBS Sports said about Clayton
"Clayton was the star of Florida's national title run while averaging 22.3 points on 43.5% shooting from beyond the arc in those six NCAA Tournament games. There are concerns about his decision-making and approach to defense, but the Most Outstanding Player of the 2025 Final Four is such a skilled and unique shotmaker that he's worthy of a serious look this deep in the first round by a Phoenix franchise that probably needs to hit the reset button."
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