Walter Clayton produces historic Final Four performance in win over Auburn

Walter Clayton has delivered a 2025 NCAA Tournament for the ages, propelling his Florida Gators all the way to the National Championship Game on Monday night. Clayton poured in 34 points in their Final Four matchup against Auburn on Saturday night, lifting them to a 79-73 win.

And their superstar shined the brightest when his team needed him the most. He stuffed the stat sheet with 34 points, four rebounds, and two assists. Not only that, but he also shot 61.1% from the field and 62.5% from three-point range. The Gator superstar drilled five of his eight three-pointers, once again setting the nets ablaze.

In delivering such a special performance, Clayton became the first player with back-to-back 30-point games in the Elite Eight and national semifinals since Larry Bird in 1979, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Clayton poured in 30 points against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight, fueling the Gators’ furious rally and punching their tickets to the Final Four.

Clayton is also the first player to score 30-plus points in the Final Four since Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse) had 33 points and 14 rebounds vs. Texas in 2003. His remarkable performance in the tourney has him climbing up draft boards for the 2025 NBA Draft. On3’s James Fletcher III currently has him penciled in the Top 30 on his 2025 NBA Draft Big Board after the tourney.

He’s certainly put together one of the best NCAA Tournaments in college basketball history. Clayton has poured in 23 points or more in four of the Gators’ five tourney games. And two of those have included eruptions for 30 points or more in some of the most pressurized moments.

Clayton has a special story. He only had three offers coming out of high school to play basketball. He had nine to play football, and he decided to stick with basketball. He averaged only seven points per game as a freshman with Iona. Now, he’s transformed himself into a first team All-American and one of the hottest prospects in the upcoming NBA Draft.

It’ll be interesting to see how he plays on Monday night, and if he can add yet another chapter to an NCAA Tournament to remember. Florida will face the winner of the Duke-Houston matchup for the 2025 National Championship on Monday evening. The game will be nationally televised on CBS.