Walter Clayton Jr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Walter Clayton Jr.

Clayton with Florida in 2023
No. 1 – Florida Gators
Point guard / shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(2003-03-06) March 6, 2003 (age 22) Sebring, Florida, U.S.
High school	Lake Wales (Lake Wales, Florida) Bartow (Bartow, Florida)
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
College	Iona (2021–2023) Florida (2023–present)
League	Southeastern Conference
Career highlights and awards
NCAA champion (2025) NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (2025) Consensus first-team All-American (2025) First-team All-SEC (2025) SEC Tournament MVP (2025) Second-team All-SEC (2024) MAAC Player of the Year (2023) First-team All-MAAC (2023)

Walter Marterry Clayton Jr. (born March 6, 2003) is an American college basketball player for the Florida Gators of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). He was named a consensus first-team All-American in 2025. Clayton began his collegiate career with the Iona Gaels.

Early life and high school career

Clayton was born in Sebring, Florida and moved to Lake Wales, Florida, when he was 10. He initially attended Lake Wales High School, where he played football and basketball. He averaged 17.5 points, five rebounds, and 3.2 assists as a sophomore. Clayton transferred to Bartow High School after his sophomore year. He averaged 15.4 points, 4.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game during his first season at Bartow as the Yellow Jackets won the Florida Class 6A state championship. Clayton committed to playing college basketball for Iona over offers from East Carolina, Florida A&M, Charleston, Stetson, and James Madison.

Clayton was considered a better college prospect in football and began playing the sport as a freshman in high school at the urging of his childhood friend, Gervon Dexter. He had offers to play football from Florida, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Nebraska, and West Virginia.

College career

Clayton averaged 7.3 points per game during his freshman season at Iona. He was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Player of the Year as a sophomore after averaging 16.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game during the regular season. After the season, Clayton entered the NCAA transfer portal.

Clayton ultimately transferred to Florida. He also had considered transferring to St. John's and playing for his former Iona head coach, Rick Pitino.

In his first season at Florida, Clayton averaged 17.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists and was honored as Second-Team All-SEC. He played an instrumental role in getting the Gators to the SEC Tournament Championship for the first time in 10 years and the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 3 years. Despite the loss, Clayton had 33 points in a historic performance against Colorado in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

After the 2023–24 season, Clayton declared for the NBA Draft. However, he ended up withdrawing from the draft and returning to Florida for his senior season. It was during this season that Clayton had one of the best individual seasons in Florida basketball history. He led Florida to a 27-4 record in the regular season while averaging 17.2 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.8 rebounds. During this season, Clayton led Florida to wins over No. 1 Tennessee and at No. 1 Auburn, which was the first time Florida had ever beaten a No. 1 on the road. He also helped lead Florida to its best overall record and SEC record in 11 years. For his efforts, Clayton was widely praised for helping lead the restoration of Florida basketball, which had not experienced that level of success in more than a decade. After the regular season, Clayton was honored as first-team All-SEC selection. On March 18, 2025, Clayton was named a first-team All American. Clayton went on to lead the Gators to the national championship, making a crucial defensive stop causing Houston's Emanuel Sharp to pump-fake on a potential game-winning three-pointer and lose his dribble. Clayton's teammate Alex Condon pounced on the loose ball to seal the Gators' third national championship in program history and first since 2007. Clayton was named the Most Outstanding Player (MOP).

Career statistics

College

Personal life

Clayton is the son of Cherie Ann Quarg, who played softball and basketball at Frostproof Middle-Senior High School and Walter Clayton Sr., who played basketball and football at Frostproof. Clayton Jr. and his girlfriend, Tatiyana Burney, have a daughter who he welcomed during his sophomore collegiate season.