2025 NBA Draft mock projections: Where will Walter Clayton Jr., Florida Gators stars land?

Basketball

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As the 2025 NBA Draft approaches Wednesday night, Only Gators is here to take a closer look at the Florida Gators who could be selected over the course of the two-day, two-round event. It is once again expected that the draft will feature plenty of twists and turns this year with Florida expected to see a player selected in Round 1 for just the second time in 13 years.

The Gators have struggled to put players in the NBA since Billy Donovan left the program. They do not have a single draft pick since 2021 as the last two former Florida players to enter the league via the draft transferred to other schools first.

Below are draft projections for the three eligible Florida players who completed their eligibility and went through the pre-draft process. Juniors forward Alex Condon and center Rueben Chinyelu both pulled out of the draft last month, as did Arkansas sophomore guard Boogie Fland, who decided to transfer and commit to head coach Todd Golden ahead of the 2025-26 season.

OnlyGators.com will offer complete, live coverage of the 2025 NBA Draft over the next two days. So be sure to come back Wednesday night and bookmark our draft tracker to follow the action.

Walter Clayton Jr., point guard

Height: 6’2″ | Weight: 195 lbs. | Class: Senior
Only Gators projection: Round 1 (picks 17-25)

Clayton impressed throughout the pre-draft process, excelling in workouts and interviews coming off an incredible senior season at Florida where he led the Gators to their first national championship in 18 years and stood out as the most clutch player (and Most Outstanding Player) in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. While Clayton is diminutive as a 6-foot-2 floor general, the likes of Stephen Curry and Jalen Brunson have proven fearless players that size can not only thrive in the NBA but lead their teams as superstars. The lone knock on Clayton is his decision making as a distributor. He averaged a career-high 2.4 turnovers per game last season, committing 19 in six March Madness appearances (3.2 per game) with 11 games of 4+ turnovers in 39 starts.

Clayton also has a tendency to ebb and flow offensively where, in the same game, he can be the hottest or coldest shooter on the court. Remaining engaged and consistent will be a key for improvement at the next level, but the numbers don’t lie about his overall efficiency. Clayton averaged career-highs of 18.3 points and 4.2 assists per game, making 44.8% of his field goals and 38.6% of his attempts from distance. His defensive improvement during the NCAA Tournament was notable, and with NBA coaching, he should become more than serviceable in that regard. The knocks on Clayton will have him go in the lower portion of the first round, but his upside is that of a high lottery selection, making him perhaps one of the most valuable players in the draft.

Alijah Martin, guard

Height: 6’2″ | Weight: 210 lbs. | Class: Redshirt senior
Only Gators projection: Round 2 (picks 40-50)

Martin has a lot going for him that NBA evaluators love, including a winning pedigree given his runs at FAU and Florida. A career 36% shooter from beyond the arc, he averaged collegiate highs of 14.4 points and 2.2 assists per game last season helping lead the Gators to the national title. Martin scored 10+ points in eight of nine postseason games and remained a reliable No. 2 to Clayton from a scoring standpoint. However, he is undersized as a combo guard at 6-foot-2. His ability to attack the hoop and use his length both on the glass and on defense — along with his culture-driven “glue guy” personality — remind of Josh Hart, though Martin is a much better shooter. It’s possible that his positional ambiguity keeps him out of the draft, but if a team sees him as a Hart or off-ball Derek Fisher, he may get scooped up sooner than many expect.

Will Richard, guard

Height: 6’4″ | Weight: 206 lbs. | Class: Senior
Only Gators projection: Undrafted free agent signing

Unlike his teammates, Richard was not invited to the NBA Combine, which consisted of 75 players working out and being interviewed in Chicago. Shooting 36% from 3-point land across his career, Richard averaged collegiate highs of 13.3 points and 1.9 assists for the Gators last season. He and Martin would regularly rotate as the second-leading scorer behind Clayton, but whereas Martin had more ability to attack the hoop, Richard preferred to get his work done beyond the arc. NBA evaluators see him as a “3-and-D” prospect, a catch-and-shoot option off the bench should he ultimately make a team. While it’s possible Richard gets drafted, given he’s outside the top 20 of pure shooting guards and the way teams select players in the second round, it’s more likely that he will be a priority signing after the two-day event concludes.

The Gators have not seen more than two players selected in the same NBA Draft since 2007 (five). That is the only time it has happened in program history. Florida has seen two players selected in four times (1984, 2000, 2011, 2021).