Former Gator Walter Clayton Jr. Sparks Mavericks in Win
Newly signed Dallas Mavericks guard Walter Clayton Jr. scored 15 points in just 17 minutes off the bench Monday night, helping Dallas to a 113-109 win over the Miami Heat. The former Florida guard added four rebounds, four assists, a block and two 3-pointers, and was plus-22 for the night.
The spark came after Clayton was waived by the Memphis Grizzlies on Oct. 19 and signed a two-way contract with the Mavericks on Oct. 21. Dallas is his third team in a year.
Clayton ended his college career with a long list of accolades, including first-team All-American, Final Four Most Outstanding Player and a 2025 national championship. The Utah Jazz picked him No. 18 overall in the first round of the 2025 NBA draft.
Despite an electric college career, his professional career has been inconsistent so far.
He started his rookie season with the Jazz, playing in 45 games with no starts. In his stint with Utah, he averaged 6.8 points per game and scored 306 points. He shot 39.8% from the field and 30.8% from 3-point range.
In February, he was traded to the Grizzlies, where he played in 24 games and started six. With Memphis, he shot 36.6% from the field and 30.7% from 3-point range.
For comparison, Clayton shot 44.1% from the field and 37.6% from 3-point range at Florida.
The fall from one of the top players in college basketball to battling for minutes in the NBA is jarring for Florida fans, but it isn’t unfamiliar to Clayton. As a freshman at Iona under coach Rick Pitino, he started only four games.
Statistically, that freshman season is only slightly better than his rookie season in the NBA. With the Gaels, he averaged 16 minutes per game and shot 43.4% from the field and 35.7% from 3-point range.
Despite a quiet first year in college, Clayton eventually built a reputation as one of the most clutch players in college basketball.
His 34 points in Florida’s 2025 Final Four game against Auburn were the most by a winning player in the national semifinal since Al Wood in 1981. In the Gators’ comeback win over Texas Tech in the previous round, he scored 30.
Other players to score 30 or more in wins in the Elite Eight and Final Four include legends like Larry Bird in 1979, Jerry West in 1959 and Wilt Chamberlain in 1957.
Clayton’s college growth is proof that a slow start doesn’t mean a slow finish. So far, the former Florida standout has had an inconsistent NBA career. But the spark he showed against the Heat on Monday night was reminiscent of the fire he showed as a Gator.
Category: Former Gators, Gator Sports, Gators Men's Basketball, NBA
