Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. stays calm under pressure, playing with patience and shooting with confidence

Florida’s practice court is almost empty. Towels and sweaty jerseys are piled by the door, and most of the players and coaching staff are rushing around, preparing for the trip. The bus is waiting for them.

They need to shower, pack, and grab a quick meal before heading to the airport for the NCAA Tournament.

But Walter Clayton Jr. is still in the gym. Two team managers are waiting for the last basketball, which will be added to the bag already packed and hanging on Clayton’s shoulder.

He’s in no rush. His calmness on and off the court is noticeable.

The All-American guard never seems to panic, rarely forces anything, and plays with a smoothness that’s uncommon at the college level. He’s the definition of calm.

He’s certainly the main reason the top-seeded Gators (32-4) made it to the Sweet 16, where they’ll face No. 4 seed Maryland (27-8) on Thursday in the West Regional.

Clayton scored 13 of his 23 points in the last eight minutes of Sunday’s game, helping Florida come back to beat two-time defending NCAA champion UConn in Raleigh, North Carolina. He made two tough 3-pointers with defenders right in his face, showing off his skills: one came after he patiently took advantage of a mismatch against Alex Karaban, giving Florida their first lead of the second half. The other came when he waited for a double team to clear before hitting the shot.

“I’ve hit some big shots in my life,” Clayton said. “Those were probably two of the biggest.”

Florida coach Todd Golden added, “He’s a beast. People don’t understand. They’re kind of like, ‘Oh, he’s never emotional, looks like he’s not trying.’ I’m like, ‘Dude, it’s because the game comes easy to him.’ I just love it.”

“This guy is legit,” Golden continued.

Clayton also scored 23 points in Florida’s first tournament game against Norfolk State

The 6-foot-2 senior from Lake Wales has now scored over 20 points in six of Florida’s last seven games, raising his average to nearly 18 points per game. He’s exceeded expectations, especially after moving from shooting guard to point guard in his final year.

“Everybody was on my (butt) all summer about the point-guard play,” Golden said. “I’m like, ‘This guy is legit.’ Even though he was great for us last year, people didn’t understand how elite of an offensive player he was.”

This development is something few saw coming.

Florida’s top basketball programs overlooked Clayton when he came out of high school. Stetson and Florida A&M were the only in-state schools that recruited him. Clayton eventually went to Iona in New Rochelle, New York, under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino.

Attorney and Florida booster John Frost, whose firm is in Bartow (where Clayton finished high school), saw something in Clayton that Florida’s Mike White, Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton, and Miami’s Jim Larrañaga missed. Frost recommended Clayton to coach Golden shortly after he took the Florida job in 2022.

Having never heard of Clayton, Golden went home that night and looked him up on an analytics website.

“He had great numbers as a freshman,” Golden said. “A freaking shot-maker.”

An Easter Surprise

Golden had been keeping an eye on Clayton since his sophomore year, and he was eventually named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference’s player of the year. When Pitino left Iona for St. John’s, it became clear that Clayton was planning to leave as well.

It came down to whether he would follow Pitino or come back to his home state to play for Golden and the Gators.

“We have him on a visit, and we think we’re getting him,” Golden said.

Then, on Easter morning, Clayton’s mom called crying.

“She was worried he was going to stay up there at St. John’s,” Golden said. “She wanted him down here, not more than we did, but equal for sure.”

Golden called the athletic department to book Florida’s jet, grabbed assistant coach/recruiter Korey McCray, and headed to New York to “figure out how we’re going to get this to the finish line.” They met Clayton at a local restaurant, only to find out that he had invited Steve Masiello, Pitino’s assistant, to dinner.

Was this bad news? A bidding war? Golden and McCray looked at each other, unsure of what was happening. Clayton left them in suspense, and after an awkward silence, just before Masiello arrived, he shared the news.

“I’m coming to Florida,” Clayton said. “I just want you guys to be able to ask (Masiello) any questions about me that you might have. I’m coming home.”

Golden added, “It was a crazy day. I’d say that Easter was very important to the return of Florida basketball.”

“It’s Amazing to Watch”

With everyone else gone from the practice court, Clayton is still getting in extra shots — 3-pointers, free throws, and even a layup or two. The managers wait, then slip the last ball into the bag and rush it to the bus.

Clayton takes his time getting ready; the Gators won’t leave without him. Everyone knows how important he is to Florida’s offense, whether it’s finding teammates in transition, running half-court plays, hitting shots from deep, or stepping up when it matters most.

“What makes him such a great player is his ability to score from anywhere on the court,” said teammate Will Richard.

Clayton showed that skill all season, especially when the Gators needed him the most against UConn.

“Super clutch, man,” said teammate Alijah Martin. “That’s Walter Clayton Jr. for you right there. He put us on his back — just so proud of him. I see the work he puts in every day. It’s amazing to watch.”