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Walter Clayton shares special moment with daughter ahead of 2025 NBA Draft

FaceProfileby:Thomas Goldkamp•06/25/25
Walter Clayton
Photo by Denny Simmons / USA TODAY Sports

Ahead of tonight’s NBA Draft, players that were invited to the league’s green room are currently getting ready to take the big stage. For Florida guard Walter Clayton, that means spending a little extra time with family before the big evening.

And it’s pretty easy to figure out why Clayton was so dominant for the Gators. He has plenty of inspiration.

Cameras captured Clayton getting ready along with his young daughter, who seemed to be having the time of her life with dad. When camera crews asked Clayton what it would mean to have his daughter present, his answer was sincere and will leave you thoroughly impressed.

“Man it’ll mean everything,” Clayton said. “This the motivation right here. She’s the one, so…”

Florida fans can certainly thank Walter Clayton’s daughter for how everything over the last couple years has turned out, culminating in the national championship this spring. Clayton nearly didn’t make it to Gainesville.

He had spent two years at Iona, both of which saw Rick Pitino leading the program. The second season saw the Gaels make the NCAA Tournament thanks to Clayton’s great scoring, averaging a team-high 16.8 points per game. His next logical move was a high-major program and the option of following Pitino was there.

Pitino stayed local with St. John’s, hoping to bring Clayton to New York City with him. Walter Clayton admits his original plan was to play for Pitino when entering the NCAA transfer portal. But after returning home to see family, Florida entered the race and ended up having the ultimate tiebreaker.

“Whenever [Pitino] went to St. John’s, I was definitely thinking about that,” Clayton said on The Paul Finebaum Show this spring. “And honestly, that was really the plan. But ended up having a little change. Went home to Florida to visit the family. It was a great environment, they made a great plan, felt like family. And then my daughter, she was due. That was kind of another decision, felt like I needed to be back closer to home to be with my family and be with my girl. It was a great decision.”

Now, national championship ring soon to come and an NBA paycheck on the horizon, Walter Clayton can enjoy an extra special experience on Wednesday night. He’s about to see a dream realized, with his daughter in tow.