ONE OF the biggest stars of the 2025 NCAA National Tournament, Walter Clayton Jr.‘s March Madness campaign has seen the guard storm up the draft rankings ahead of the 2025 intake in June.

Clayton Jr. was the star of the show for the championship-winning Florida Gators, proving a matchwinner on the big stage with his immense shotmaking, three-point presence and calmness under an enormous amount of pressure.

Although he may not be able to sneak into the lottery given his age and size at six-foot-three, his unmatched ability to perform in the clutch should see him land around the 20th selection, which would be reward for a huge National Tournament.

For the Gators this season, Clayton Jr. averaged 18.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.5 blocks on 44.8 per cent shooting from the field in a championship season, making a name for himself in the process.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will run through some of the clearest comparisons to already established NBA talents, with Clayton Jr. looking similar to some of the most crucial performers currently in the playoffs.

Payton Pritchard – Boston Celtics

The clearest comparison for Clayton Jr., Pritchard has proven to be a draft steal and is in the midst of a career year with the Celtics. He was picked up late in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft, and despite being older than his contemporaries, he has become such an integral part of the Boston Celtics, and won a championship with the team in 2024. Coming off the bench, he has added plenty of offensive production to the team and was rewarded with the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award for the 2024/25 campaign, after averaging 14.3 points per game. Like Clayton Jr., Pritchard is quite undersized, but certainly does not let that stop him from having a huge impact. The two also have extremely similar shot selection, proving Clayton Jr.’s player archetype can thrive at the top level.

Jordan Clarkson – Utah Jazz

Another former NBA Sixth Man of the Year, Clarkson has been an extremely productive frontcourt player for several teams and has forged an impressive career at NBA level. After being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 46th overall pick of the 2014 draft, he made an immediate impact at NBA level, and has averaged double-digits in the points column every year of his career. In 2021, he was the best player in the league off the bench, averaging 18.4 points per game in a standout campaign, and continues to deliver for the Jazz at 32 years of age. With excellent shot making and a tendency to perform in the clutch, there are several similarities between Clarkson and Clayton Jr. and the latter will be hoping to have as long and impactful of a career.

Stephen Curry – Golden State Warriors

This one might be a bit of a stretch, but it is impossible to deny that there are certain similarities between Clayton Jr. and Curry, particularly when the former is at his best. Curry is arguably the greatest point guard of all time and certainly the best shooter in NBA history, cementing his place as an all-time great with two MVP awards (as well as the first unanimous one in history), four titles and a Finals MVP to boot, having forged one of the greatest careers the game has ever seen. The comparisons come when Clayton Jr. goes on a scoring flurry, particularly from behind the arc, where he can fire off shots from range as good as anyone, and it does seem reminiscent of a certain Warriors point guard at times.