Six weeks out from the 2025 NBA draft, three Florida Gators remain in the conversation to be selected.
NBA reporter Kevin O’Connor has three Gators going in his latest mock for Yahoo Sports. All-American guard Walter Clayton Jr. headlines the list with a first-round selection by the Orlando Magic at the 25th pick. Clayton shined in the spotlight for most of the NCAA Tournament and was the unquestioned leader of Florida’s championship team. If anyone raised their stock from undrafted to first round over the past two months, it’s Clayton.
Sophomore forward Alex Condon is next and projected to go to the San Antonio Spurs with the eighth pick in the second round (38th overall). Condon is still weighing his options and getting feedback from NBA front offices. It’s unclear what he’s looking for before deciding to return to Florida or not, but anything short of a first-round projection is a positive sign for the Gators.
Finally, the Memphis Grizzlies grabbed guard Alijah Martin with the 56th overall pick (Round 2, Pick 26) in O’Connor’s mock. Martin came to Florida as a veteran defensive specialist with Final Four experience and improved his ball-handling ability and scoring enough to warrant some draft looks.
Even if Martin doesn’t hear his name called during the draft, he’s bound to be at the top of several organizations’ lists for undrafted free agents.
Orlando Magic (Round 1, Pick 25) — Walter Clayton Jr.
O’Connor likens Clayton’s game to both Jordan Clarkson and Ben Gordon, a pair of journeymen guards who had relevant peaks in the NBA. Clayton is a “3-point marksman, mid-range assassin and off-ball mover” with a verified clutch gene. There are still question marks around his defense and playmaking abilities, but he improved in both areas dramatically over his senior year.
“After selecting Clifford earlier in the first round, here’s another shooter for the Magic,” O’Connor said. “The best shooter in all of March Madness. Clayton hit some of the clutchest shots all tournament long, leading Florida to the NCAA championship game before playing with great effort on defense and making some slick passes to help lead them to the title. Throughout his collegiate career, he showed major limitations as a defender and as a decision-maker. But he’s a fearless shooter with the versatility to take any shot at any moment. And that’s precisely what the Magic need.”
San Antonio Spurs (Round 2, Pick 8) — Alex Condon
Condon drew comparisons to Isaiah Hartenstein, a German-born forward in the eighth year of his NBA career who has finally found regular playing time over the past two seasons with New York and now Oklahoma City. Florida ran its offense through Condon, utilizing his energy and passing ability. It’s easy to see Condon fill the role of modern NBA big, but he lacks some size.
“Condon is a high-octane Aussie big with a relentless motor, versatile defense, and the playmaking pizzazz for no-look dimes,” O’Connor said. “But most modern bigs need either a reliable jumper or immense interior size, leaving him as a bit of a tweener at this stage.”
Defense, scoring in the post, playmaking and rebounding are all strengths for Condon, but he could stand to refine his jump shot and add some weight to his 6-foot-11 frame that plays a bit smaller.
Memphis Grizzlies (Round 2, Pick 26) — Alijah Martin
Martin’s ceiling appears to be as a role player, but there’s a lot to like about him from a general manager’s perspective. His defense is perhaps NBA-ready, he plays bigger than 6-foot-2, rebounds well, dunks over defenders and as that quick-twitch movement every coach is looking for.
“Martin is a hyper-athletic, high-energy guard who plays bigger than his size and impacts the game with his toughness, rebounding, and defensive grit,” O’Connor said. “But his positional tweener status, streaky shooting, and limited creation ability complicate his ability to carve out a specialized role.”
O’Connor compared Martin to De’Anthony Melton and Derrick Jones Jr., both role players who have put together nice NBA careers on the wing.
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