2025 NBA Draft: Where and when will Walter Clayton Jr. be selected?

2025 NCAA champion Walter Clayton Jr. is projected to be a late first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but where will the former Florida standout land?

Clayton Jr. broke out as one of the nation’s top players during the 2024/25 college basketball season, leading the Florida Gators to the national championship, where they defeated Houston. Clayton Jr. averaged 22.3 points on 47.4% FG and 43.5% 3P in six tournament games and was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player.

Ahead of Wednesday night’s NBA Draft first round, here are Clayton Jr.’s latest draft props from bet365.

Walter Clayton Jr. 2025 NBA Draft odds

• Top 20 Pick -175

• 1st Round Pick -550

Clayton Jr. will be one of the most-talked about late first-round picks in this year’s draft given his profile as the best player on a national championship team. His build (6-foot-3, 195 pounds) and age (22) are not ideal attributes for top draft prospect, hence why the Gator alum has slid down draft boards.

But, as displayed in the NCAA Tournament, Clayton’s shot-making ability might be second-to-none in this draft, and he did it on the biggest stage possible in college basketball. He’s garnered comparisons to all-time great shooters Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard for his instinctive, quick-trigger three-point shooting ability and shiftiness.

Clayton Jr. can serve as either a point or shooting guard in the NBA and could fit the mold of a sixth man off the bench to begin his career.

Of the teams selecting between 15 and 20 in the 2025 NBA Draft, a team that could be a good fit for Clayton Jr. is the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 16.

Memphis just traded starting shooting guard Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic, and more wholesale changes could be on the way as it relates to the futures of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. The Grizzlies did get two shooting guards in return – Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony, although neither will be considered long-term plugs in Memphis’ system.

Another team in desperate need of scoring and three-point shooting is the Miami Heat, who pick at No. 20. The guard depth on Miami’s 2025/26 roster is nothing to write home about, with Tyler Herro the clear alpha in the backcourt and not much else outside of Davion Mitchell and an aging Terry Rozier. Clayton could very well slot into Miami’s starting five should he go at No. 20.

Further down the first round, the Magic could take Clayton Jr. at No. 25, if he is still available.

One of the biggest gripes with Orlando’s budding young roster is the lack of shooting, which they addressed by trading a haul for Bane. There is no limit to the amount of good shooters an NBA coach could want, and the more the merrier when it comes to complementing Magic franchise players Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

With Jalen Suggs returning from injury and Bane a surefire starter, Clayton would likely be one of the first off the bench to aid a playoff-ready roster in Orlando.

Odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.

David Schneidman

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