When Rick Pitino made the move to St. John’s, many expected Walter Clayton Jr. to follow. Even Clayton himself admitted that his original plan was to suit up for the Johnnies. But a visit to family in Florida changed things. “It was a great environment, they made a great plan, felt like family,” he says. Then, with the birth of his daughter, his decision was made easier– Clayton wanted to stay closer to home. It was a move that turned out to be as much a moral decision as a basketball one. But for Pitino? It was a tough blow.
This wasn’t the first time their paths had crossed in a pivotal moment. Back in high school, Clayton wasn’t even ranked in the top 250 recruits, but Pitino saw his potential and brought him to Iona. There, the Polk County prodigy spent two seasons under the Hall-of-Famer, developing into one of the best players in the MAAC.
By his sophomore year, Clayton was averaging a team-high 16.8 points per game, helping Iona punch a ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Even then, it was clear that Clayton had only scratched the surface of his potential. Fortunately for Florida, he was to explode in his senior year. The talent Pitino hunted wasn’t written for him to yield benefits of.
Walter Clayton Jr., 30 points in Florida’s West Regional final over Texas Tech, did not rank among top 250 HS players in nation when Rick Pitino recruited him to Iona in 2021.
Gators’ Thomas Haugh, 20 points, 11 boards, ranked No. 185 in the Class of 2023. pic.twitter.com/7kCSIYiplu
— rickbozich (@rickbozich) March 30, 2025
Since his transfer, Clayton has thrived under Todd Golden’s leadership. He’s having a career-defining season, earning first-team All-American honors while averaging 17.9 points per game on 44.6% shooting from the field and 38.7% from three.
His performances in the tournament have been nothing short of spectacular—23 points against Norfolk State, another 23 against UConn to help the Gators to their first Sweet 16 since 2017. But still, this wasn’t the best of him.
Walter Clayton Jr.’s heroics lift Florida—and leave Rick Pitino wondering, ‘what if?’
Clayton was the undisputed closer in the Gators’ 84-79 win over No. 3 Texas Tech. With his team trailing late, he stepped up—hitting back-to-back three-pointers in the final minute to cap off a crucial 12-2 run. First, he tied the game at 75-75 with 1:47 to go. Then, with just 59 seconds remaining, he drilled another deep shot to give Florida the lead for good.
Meanwhile, Texas Tech struggled to find the basket in crunch time. Despite holding a 75-66 lead with just over three minutes left, the Red Raiders couldn’t score for nearly two straight minutes, allowing Florida to claw back.
Two crucial missed free throws only made things worse for Tech, and when Darrion Williams’ three-pointer bounced off the rim with 16 seconds left, Clayton was right there to seal the game at the free-throw line.
The Gators closed the game on an 18-4 run, and Clayton was the undeniable star of the night. He finished with 30 points, going an incredible 13-for-14 from the free-throw line and 3 from the deep.
Impressive? No doubt. Just ask Rick Pitino—he probably wishes he had Clayton knocking down those shots for St. John’s right now. After all, the Red Storm have struggled all season from deep, ranking No. 347 in three-point percentage. In their loss to Arkansas, they shot just 28% from the field and hit only two of 22 attempts from beyond the arc.
It’s safe to say Pitino would’ve loved having Clayton on this year’s roster. But fate had other plans. He’s proving his potential, and if that’s any indication, he has more in store.
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