Senior Walter Clayton Jr. is averaging a team-high 19.1 points per game, while shooting nearly 37.5 percent from the 3-polnt line and shouldering the bulk of playmaking duties for an offense ranked seventh nationally in efficiency.
Clayton's Offense Dynamically on Point
Tuesday, December 17, 2024 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Neither player remembered the exact moment, but it doesn't really matter. Florida was well on its way to a 25-point beating of Southern Illinois last month when sophomore forward Tommy Haugh, probably in the second half, saw senior guard Walter Clayton Jr. turn down an open 3-pointer at the top of the key, only to pass the ball, instead.
Clayton didn't have it from deep that night, going 1-for-6 on his way to a season-low seven points. Haugh, though, didn't care and snapped at his teammate.
"Dude, when you're open, shoot the ball!"
Clayton answered with a nod, an "I got you" and went about his business.
In basketball, the so-called "green light" is a gift. A rare one, at that. It's one thing when given by the coach, but it's worth even more when your brothers on the floor are on board. This is the place where Clayton, the Gators' scoring leader and one of the most talented offensive players in the Southeastern Conference (and beyond), finds himself early in this 2024-25 season, with his UF teammates feeding off his high level of play – and higher level of self-assurance – in equaling the second-longest season-opening winning streak in school history, along with its highest ranking in five years.
Walter Clayton Jr.is flaring with a confidence and flair the likes of which the UF basketball program has not seen in years.
This from UF assistant and director of player development Taurean Green: "If he takes it, it's a good shot. Period. Walt doesn't take bad shots. He can't. It's not possible."
Few from Gator Nation would argue, given what Clayton is doing for this team. But now it's time for the No. 7 Gators (10-0) to try themselves in the national spotlight against college basketball blue-blood North Carolina (6-4) in Tuesday night's Jumpman Invitational at Spectrum Center. Coming off Saturday's 25-point performance in a blowout defeat of Arizona State in Atlanta, Clayton's light – again – will be a solid green, as UF looks to ride its star and build on a season spurred by an offense that ranks seventh nationally in efficiency, has averaged 86.2 points per game and helped win all 10 games by double digits.
[Read senior writer Chris Harry's "Pregame Stuff" setup here]
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Clayton is averaging 19.1 points – the most by a UF player through 10 games this century – on 47.5-percent shooting from the floor, 37.5 from 3-point range and 92.3 at the free-throw line. He's done so while taking on point guard duties, but in a free-flowing offense that gets touches and scoring opportunities for everybody.
But they all know who it starts with.
"I had freedom last year," said Clayton, who is averaging 14.1 shots and nearly nine attempts from distance per game. "I just think my confidence is up a little more this year. Mine, maybe even everybody's, but definitely mine. I spent a lot of time in the gym this summer and put in a lot of extra time between games. I think my confidence had to go up to take some of the shots I do and do some of the things that I've been doing."
Since that gun-shy, seven-point outing against SIU (which the Gators won 93-68, by the way), Clayton has been on something of a tear in the team's four straight victories over high-major opponents, including a MVP performance in the ESPN Events Invitational over Thanksgiving holiday. In the last four wins – against Wake Forest, Wichita State, Virginia and Arizona State – Clayton has averaged 23.0 points and banged 19 shots from deep at 40.4 percent, including five makes in the last three games, joining Anthony Roberson (2005) as the lone UF players to make at least five 3s in three consecutive games.
But Clayton's offense is so much more than bombing 3s. He's a three-level scorer with a savvy ability to change pace, deke defenders and create opportunities in the paint and at the rim. And while his assist numbers won't stack up against the best pure point guards in the league, exactly no one on his team would accuse Clayton of being selfish.
"What's it like playing with Walt?" fifth-year UF senior guard Alijah Martin said. "Stress-free, that's what it's like. He's gonna get a good shot, and if he doesn't think he can, he'll get us one."
If another Gator is open, Clayton will find him, yes. But the best shots for the team are often the ones he's taking.
"We'll go stretches throughout the game where we're letting him run up and down the floor and make decisions because when he plays in the open court there's nothing that we can draw up to get him better looks than what he can provide that way," UF coach Todd Golden said. "He's playing at the level we hoped he would and the way we need him to if we want to compete for championships."
Clayton and the Gators were good last year, but not championship good. They won 24 games and went to the NCAA Tournament. Clayton poured in a career-high 33 points, including his team's last 16, in a first-round 102-100 loss to Colorado that in so many ways (like allowing 66 percent shooting in the second half) was a microcosm of the '23-24 season. Yeah, Florida was good, but it was only going so far with its poor defense, the (marked) improvement of which became the first, second and third points of emphasis during the offseason.
Becoming a significantly better defensive team took a significant investment in time during summer and preseason, with Clayton's buy-in at that end of the floor – and soldiering through the sometimes tedious drills to that end – a major factor in UF vaulting from 94th in defensive efficiency to (for now) 22nd nationally. The Florida coaches overhauled a lot about how the team practices each day in an effort to keep everyone locked in throughout.
Clayton not only followed their lead, he led.
Almost a year ago to the day, Clayton became a father and now is the head of the household with his family in Gainesville. Last spring, he went through the NBA evaluation process and got feedback on where his game needed to go to get him to the next level. Did he come back a more mature version of a really talented player.
"Depends on who you ask," Clayton said with a laugh.
What's important for the Gators was that Clayton, first, came back and, second, put in the work to get his game to an offensive standard that is starting to look generational relative a Florida program that has cranked out some scorers over the years.
True point guard? No. On point with everything else? Most definitely.
Clayton's 17.9 average through 46 games is by far the highest by a transfer in program history.
"It's been a better balance this year, especially the competing part [in practice]. Everybody is going hard," he said. "Sometimes, last year, maybe it was because of some of the guys on the team, with our personnel, that wasn't always the case. Maybe 'cause they didn't want to get hurt, I don't know? But guys are more engaged this year. Everybody on this team wants to compete … and nobody want to lose."
So far, that refuse-to-lose practice mentality has spilled over into games, with UF one of just five undefeated teams remaining in the country. The schedule hasn't been particularly difficult to date – the Gators' strength of schedule so far rates 154th in the country, which is ninth in the SEC – but Tuesday's pairing with Tar Heels, in what basically will be a road game, will serve as nationally televised barometer.
Clayton will be looking to score. If not, he'll hear about it again.
"Walt can get buckets in the paint, his mid-range game is ridiculous and he's great from the 3-point line," Haugh said. "He's just an insanely good offensive player. We all know that. We all want to see him shoot."
And Clayton will oblige.
Email senior writer Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu
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