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The 2025 NBA draft is still a couple of months away but the anticipation is already building ahead of professional basketball's premier selection event.
This year, at least one member of the Florida basketball program — which won both the SEC Tournament and the national championship this past season — is expected to be taken in the first round of the annual draft process. CBS Sports' Cameron Salerno recently compiled his first-round mock draft, with All-American point guard Walter Clayton Jr. representing the Gators among the first 30 picks in late June.
According to Salerno, Clayton is expected to be taken by the Utah Jazz with the 21st overall pick, which was acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a trade. That is the same team that owns the No. 1 overall pick and is expected to take Blue Duke Devils phenom Cooper Flagg with that selection.
"Clayton's legendary March Madness performance jumped him into the first round of the draft for good," Salerno writes. "Clayton was one of the best shotmakers in college basketball and plays fearlessly. Pairing Flagg with a veteran guard from the college ranks would be viewed as a home run draft for Utah."
The graduating senior out of Bartow, Florida, averaged 18.3 points, 4.2 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game during the 2024-25 campaign. For his efforts, he earned First-Team All-SEC and All-American honors while being anointed Most Outstanding Player in the 2025 Final Four for his title-winning heroics.
According to CBS Sports' scouting metrics, Clayton is ranked 41st among NBA draft prospects and 10th at his position.
The first round of the 2025 NBA draft will take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn starting on Wednesday, June 25, with the second round landing on the following day; the start time for both is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. The draft will be broadcast live on ABC and ESPN.
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: NBA draft: CBS Sports mock has Walter Clayton Jr. taken in first round
Continue reading...
This year, at least one member of the Florida basketball program — which won both the SEC Tournament and the national championship this past season — is expected to be taken in the first round of the annual draft process. CBS Sports' Cameron Salerno recently compiled his first-round mock draft, with All-American point guard Walter Clayton Jr. representing the Gators among the first 30 picks in late June.
According to Salerno, Clayton is expected to be taken by the Utah Jazz with the 21st overall pick, which was acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a trade. That is the same team that owns the No. 1 overall pick and is expected to take Blue Duke Devils phenom Cooper Flagg with that selection.
"Clayton's legendary March Madness performance jumped him into the first round of the draft for good," Salerno writes. "Clayton was one of the best shotmakers in college basketball and plays fearlessly. Pairing Flagg with a veteran guard from the college ranks would be viewed as a home run draft for Utah."
Walter Clayton's rankings and stats
The graduating senior out of Bartow, Florida, averaged 18.3 points, 4.2 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game during the 2024-25 campaign. For his efforts, he earned First-Team All-SEC and All-American honors while being anointed Most Outstanding Player in the 2025 Final Four for his title-winning heroics.
According to CBS Sports' scouting metrics, Clayton is ranked 41st among NBA draft prospects and 10th at his position.
2025 NBA draft information
The first round of the 2025 NBA draft will take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn starting on Wednesday, June 25, with the second round landing on the following day; the start time for both is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. The draft will be broadcast live on ABC and ESPN.
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: NBA draft: CBS Sports mock has Walter Clayton Jr. taken in first round
Continue reading...
