Walter Clayton Jr. - NBA Mock Draft Roundup 1.0

This is my third mock draft this draft cycle, and I've had Clayton going at this spot in every one of them. Clayton could go higher, but this spot seems like a good floor on draft night. Clayton is a fearless shotmaker. I had the chance to watch him up close during Florida's national title run. He's going to have a very successful NBA career.

Clayton is most commonly projected to go to the Magic, given their glaring need for shooting and help at the point guard position. He established himself as a consensus first-team All-American and one of the top guards in the country, leading the Gators to their third national championship. He had a great showing at the combine on Tuesday, going 17-of-25 in the 3-point star drill and 16-of-27 in the corner. This is the second first-round pick for the Magic, and it could be used in a potential package to acquire players who can help them win now. But if Jeff Weltman & Co. opt to keep it, Clayton makes a lot of sense at this stage of the draft.

Clayton is this year's big NCAA Tournament riser. The Florida guard was the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 18 points and four assists this year while shooting 45 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3 and 88 percent from the line. But more than that, the level of shot-making that Clayton can showcase at times is truly special. He can get to his shot from any footwork or any angle on the court, especially from distance. He's comfortable using a change-of-pace dribble to get to a stepback, and then can also attack and drive off that to score around the rim. He's a former high school quarterback and has real athleticism out there. The questions for me are twofold. First, his ball-screen reads weren't always on point. He was terrific against Houston in the championship game, but the picture often looked a bit cloudy in terms of his decision-making. Then, on defense, the real question is if he's a bit too far in-between positions. He got better this year as a senior but wasn't always reliable throughout his college career. That's concerning for an older, undersized player. Still, teams love Clayton's toughness, and I would expect to hear his name called in the first round.

Pro Comparisons: Payton Pritchard, Cole Anthony

Confidence in Walter Clayton Jr. peaked after his 34 points against Auburn. The fearlessness and clutch shotmaking have scouts starting to buy in and ultimately look past the size questions for a scoring guard.

Despite struggling in the first half in the national title game against Houston, who made him priority No. 1 on the scouting report, Clayton ultimately did an effective job switching into playmaker mode. And then he came on late—which has become a theme—delivering a pair of tough finishes and a movement three to help bring Florida back.

Scouts acknowledge his stock is rising entering the predraft process.

Scouting report: Clayton's stellar NCAA tournament showing has vaulted him into the mix as a potential option in the 20s. He brings scoring prowess and the ability to hit tough shots, but also an element of streakiness that accompanies his style of play.

He projects as a potential microwave bench scorer, capable of putting up points quickly as a change-of-pace guard. His lack of size, defensive struggles and limited playmaking skills are drawbacks, but there are teams that might benefit from adding him to their bench mix next season. -- Woo

NBA intel and fit: This is the Magic's second first-round selection, acquired from Denver in 2021 in the Aaron Gordon trade. Orlando appears to be shifting into more of a win-now phase, making this pick a potential trade chip but also a spot to bolster depth. -- Woo

Clayton deserves to go down as a March Madness forever hero after powering Florida to the national championship. The NCAA tournament was his playground, with huge scoring performances and clutch daggers piquing the NBA's interest along the way. There will be some skepticism about Clayton's translation if only because he enters the draft as a senior without plus positional size and with defensive question marks. There's no doubting his shooting ability, though. Clayton ripped 38 percent of his threes and 87 percent of his free throws for his college career, showing excellent touch on self-created, off-balanced shots. He made strides as a distributor this year, and finished well at the rim (65 percent) without great size. The Magic need shooting any way they can get it. Clayton's closing kick was impressive enough to make the middle part of the first round a possibility.

Florida Man is drafted by Florida Team, and said team gets something that it needs to add in a significant way this offseason: dynamic shooting on and off the ball. Because that need is so glaring, I've wondered whether the Magic might go ahead and secure Clayton, the no. 26 player on our Big Board, with their first pick to assure that someone else doesn't scoop him up. But in this scenario, they end up waiting and still get the player who did more for his stock in the months of March and April than anyone else in this class. The ease that he showed on big stages and the variety of ways he accessed his premier shooting solidified the fact that he is a prospect worth taking seriously.

Dare I say the Washington Wizards are looking like they may be ... a fun team to watch? Adding Clayton Jr. to the mix would double the fun. He's one of the draft's most dynamic shot-makers and is coming off a legendary NCAA Tournament title run at Florida in which he showcased his scoring and playmaking.

Clayton could end up much higher than this after leading Florida to a national championship, depending on how his week goes at the NBA Draft Combine. But he slips in this mock because many of the teams drafting ahead of the Suns already have smaller guards, or perhaps opt for a younger player. This could work to Phoenix's advantage since Clayton could come in right away as a fearless shooter with the versatility to take a shot at any moment. In a potential post-Kevin Durant era (and hopefully post-Bradley Beal era) there'd be a need for more scoring in the years to come next to Devin Booker.