Gators' Walter Clayton Jr receives lofty Steph Curry and Damian Lillard comparisons from former No. 2 pick

Modified Apr 07, 2025 15:23 GMT

NCAA Basketball: Final Four-Team Press Conference - Source: Imagn — Walter Clayton Jr. is turning a lot of heads - Source: Imagn

The championship game is set. After two epic Final Four games, Houston and Florida will square off for the ultimate glory.

On Sunday, the Gators reached this stage behind Clayton's stellar outing to take down Johni Broome and the Auburn Tigers.

Clayton scored 34 points on 11-of-18 shooting and 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. He added four rebounds and two assists and went a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line.

His unlimited range, quick release and high arc made Duke legend believe his game is similar to Damian Lillard's and Stephen Curry's, and he thinks he can now crack the top three in the upcoming NBA draft.

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“I could make a case that he could be the second or third pick in the NBA draft. I know Dylan Harper, I know Ace Bailey, they have a ton of talent," Williams said on 'Get Up.'

"But the run this guy is on, the shots he makes, combined Dame Lillard with Steph Curry. I'm not saying he's gonna reach the pinnacle of who those players are, but his game, to me, is akin to a marriage between the two. He is prolific offensively; I don't know if I've seen a hotter player than Walter Clayton Jr is now."

Rick Pitino also compared Walter Clayton Jr to Stephen Curry

Williams isn't the only one who sees parallels between Clayton and the Golden State Warriors superstar.

Legendary coach Rick Pitino, who coached him at Iona, believes he's on a similar run than Curry was during his days in college:

“I think he’s put himself in the lottery. If you look at it, there are similarities to what Steph Curry did at Davidson,” Pitino said on Sunday.

“You watch him play, he goes by people, he has great burst, he’s 6-3, he shoots it incredibly with range, drives to the basket well. He’s earning and deserving of what he’s getting. You’ve got to be ready for the NBA, and Walter is. The NBA is all about shooting, and he’s a guy ready to play in the NBA.”

Of course, what a player does in the NCAA tournament doesn't always translate to the pros, and Clayton is much older than the average first-round pick.

But despite being a 22-year-old senior, he's shown that he's got game, and all that experience in college could help him have a smoother transition to the NBA.

About the author

Ernesto Cova is a journalist at Sportskeeda with a PhD in Sports Psychology. His education helped him develop a clearer understanding of the sports world as a whole, including basketball. Ernesto has over eight years of experience in the field, working for Fadeaway World, The Inquisitr, NBA Blast, The Cold Wire and Bolavip, among others.

His favorite team is the Chicago Bulls because of the Michael Jordan era. Jordan is Ernesto's all-time favorite, as he changed the game forever. Ernesto's second favorite was Kobe Bryant because he embodied that same competitive fire and Ernesto watched him play throughout his entire career. Nowadays, Ernesto really likes Stephen Curry, who he believes to be the most influential player of the past 15 years or so.

Ernesto's favorite basketball moment was when Venezuela -- his country -- took down Canada to take home the 2015 FIBA Americas Cup.

When not watching or writing about basketball, Ernesto likes to read and is interested in photography.

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Edited by Abhimanyu Gupta