Former Florida Star Walter Clayton Jr. Has 1st Strong Game With Mavericks

Walter Clayton Jr. was back in Florida on Monday, as the Dallas Mavericks were in Miami to take on the Heat. 

Not only did the Mavericks beat the Heat, but Clayton Jr. also had his first strong game with Dallas. The guard put up 15 points, four rebounds and four assists in 17 minutes while shooting 6-of-7 from the field, 2-of-2 from beyond the arc and 1-of-1 from the foul line. 

Clayton Jr. scored seven points in the fourth quarter, showing off that clutch gene Florida Gator fans are used to. 

“Man, I just feel like we just locked in during the timeouts talking to each other. I feel like we rebounded the ball great,” Clayton Jr. said, via Grant Afseth of Dallas Sports Journal. "And we were just physical. I think we came out and played our brand of basketball. It worked for us.”

The Memphis Grizzlies waived Clayton Jr., who quickly signed with the Mavericks. It's early, but it looks like Clayton Jr. has finally found a home in the NBA after playing for the Utah Jazz and Grizzlies. 

"Walt was great,” former Duke star and current Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg said. “Obviously he hasn’t been with us for very long, but for him to just step up tonight, 6-of-7 from the field, but I thought just his intensity and the way, I mean, plus-22, like for him to go out there and just play really, really hard and unselfish basketball and just really give to the team in every single way. I thought it was a really big step for our team.”

Clayton Jr. led Florida to the NCAA championship in 2025. He finished his Florida career with averages of 17.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. 

Throughout a remarkable collegiate career, Clayton Jr. accumulated an extensive list of honors and accolades across multiple conferences and national stages. Early in his career at Iona in the MAAC, he was named to the 2021-22 MAAC All-Freshman Team before delivering a breakout sophomore year, earning 2022-23 All-MAAC 1st Team honors, a 2023 All-MAAC Tournament team selection and being crowned the 2022-23 MAAC Player of the Year.

Upon transferring to Florida in the SEC, his success continued, as he earned 2023-24 All-SEC 2nd Team and 2024 All-SEC Tournament recognition, culminating in a dominant 2024-25 season where he was named to the All-SEC 1st Team, selected as the 2025 SEC Tournament MVP and named to the 2025 All-SEC Tournament Team.

On the national stage, his historic 2024-25 campaign earned him consensus 1st Team All-America status—highlighted by 1st Team selections from the AP, NABC, Sporting News, USBWA, and John R. Wooden Award—alongside being named a finalist for both the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award after appearing on all their respective preseason, midseason, and late-season watch lists. Clayton capped off his collegiate tenure with exceptional postseason performances, earning spots on the 2025 NCAA Tournament All-Region and 2025 NCAA All-Tournament teams, ultimately being distinguished as the 2025 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player.

It was fun to see Clayton Jr. play well for the Mavericks against the Heat in Miami. Hopefully, Clayton Jr. sticks with Dallas and continues to play well.