1 week Ago By Andrew Hughes
Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. became immortal during the Gators’ 65-63 national championship win over Houston on Monday, having an off-game by his standards – 11 points on 3-of-10 shooting overall and 1-of-7 from beyond the arc – but still playing an integral non-scoring role (seven assists, five rebounds). Clayton’s Steph Curry-like run through the 2025 NCAA Tournament ended in a way the ex-Davidson star’s 2008 postseason didn’t: with a championship.
The 44th United States President, Barack Obama, shouted out Clayton by name following UF’s triumph. “What a comeback! Congrats to Walter Clayton, Jr. and the Florida Gators on their third national title.
This was a fun team to watch,” Obama tweeted . CBS Sports’ Zachary Pereles compared Clayton’s March Madness to Kemba Walker’s in 2011 with UConn, claiming it was one of the greatest playoff performances the sport has ever seen. “Fourteen years later, "Cardiac Kemba" became "Cardiac Clayton.
" With 11 points -- all in the second half, nine in the last eight minutes -- in the Gators' 65-63 win over Houston in the national championship game Monday, Clayton capped one of the most remarkable individual NCAA Tournament performances ever. He won Final Four Most Outstanding Player as well,” Pereles wrote. It’s no wonder Pereles got the attention of the biggest basketball fan the Oval Office has ever seen.
Clayton’s six games of 22 points per game on a 47/43/91 shooting slash electrified the country and made him a star. Maybe even a first-round NBA draft talent if things break his way this June..
