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The next big date on the men's college basketball calendar — now that the NCAA Tournament and the transfer portal entry period are in the rearview mirror — arrives in late June with the 2025 NBA draft. The two-day event will take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn starting on Wednesday, June 25, with the second round landing on the following day.
Looking ahead, at least one member of Florida basketball's national championship-winning team is expected to be taken in the first round, while another is not too far behind on the second day. Sports Illustrated's Kevin Sweeney put together his 2025 NBA draft big board recently, and included those two among his two-round projections.
Point guard Walter Clayton Jr., who was a prolific player down the stretch for the Gators on their title run, logged in at No. 23 on the big board.
"Clayton’s March success propelled him into more first-round conversations," Sweeney notes. "With teams hunting young, controllable pieces that can immediately play a role, Clayton’s ability to create his own shot could be valuable to teams in the 20s."
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.
The other Florida Gator mentioned on the list is forward Alex Condon, who was a key force in the frontcourt for the Orange and Blue during the 2024-25 campaign. Sweeney has him just a few spots outside of the first round at No. 33 — one spot behind Auburn Tigers star forward Johni Broome.
Over two seasons in Gainesville, the Aussie played in 74 total games while starting exactly half of them (37), averaging 9.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 blocks per appearance.
This year, the multi-talented forward averaged 10.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while cementing his status as a starter in Florida's rotation. He was recognized as the SEC Player of the Week three times and earned third-team All-SEC honors for his efforts.
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: Florida's Walter Clayton Jr. projected in first round by SI
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Looking ahead, at least one member of Florida basketball's national championship-winning team is expected to be taken in the first round, while another is not too far behind on the second day. Sports Illustrated's Kevin Sweeney put together his 2025 NBA draft big board recently, and included those two among his two-round projections.
Where does Walter Clayton Jr. rank?
Point guard Walter Clayton Jr., who was a prolific player down the stretch for the Gators on their title run, logged in at No. 23 on the big board.
"Clayton’s March success propelled him into more first-round conversations," Sweeney notes. "With teams hunting young, controllable pieces that can immediately play a role, Clayton’s ability to create his own shot could be valuable to teams in the 20s."
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.
Alex Condon projected as early second-round selection
The other Florida Gator mentioned on the list is forward Alex Condon, who was a key force in the frontcourt for the Orange and Blue during the 2024-25 campaign. Sweeney has him just a few spots outside of the first round at No. 33 — one spot behind Auburn Tigers star forward Johni Broome.
Over two seasons in Gainesville, the Aussie played in 74 total games while starting exactly half of them (37), averaging 9.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 blocks per appearance.
This year, the multi-talented forward averaged 10.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while cementing his status as a starter in Florida's rotation. He was recognized as the SEC Player of the Week three times and earned third-team All-SEC honors for his efforts.
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: Florida's Walter Clayton Jr. projected in first round by SI
Continue reading...
