March Madness hero could solve major Hawks weakness this offseason

The Atlanta Hawks have been linked to several intriguing prospects ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft. One of those prospects led Florida to a national championship less than two months ago.

Walter Clayton Jr. had an incredible senior season with the Gators, earning Most Outstanding Player honors at March Madness and becoming an All-American while leading his team in points, assists, and 3-pointers. At the NCAA Tournament, Clayton averaged 22.3 points on 47.4% shooting from the field and 43.5% shooting from three.

Clayton’s fourth-year leap at Florida caught the attention of many NBA scouts and general managers. On the surface, he may seem like your typical scoring machine with shot-creation abilities. However, Clayton has evolved into a much more versatile, NBA-ready talent.

At times, the 6-foot-3 point guard fits a ball-dominant archetype characterized by tough shotmaking and relentless aggression. On the other hand, Clayton has shown tremendous growth in his off-ball movement and two-way impact. He served as a consistent cog in Florida’s world-class defense and spent most of the national championship game passing out of double teams and contributing in areas outside of scoring.

CBS Sports insider Adam Finkelstein recently projected Clayton to land with Atlanta in a May 5 mock draft. The Hawks would likely select a player of Clayton’s caliber with their No. 13 pick.

Finkelstein discussed Clayton’s underrated versatility and potential in his pre-draft analysis.

“This year's Mr. March Madness played his way into lottery consideration, not because he led Florida to a national championship, but because he showed different elements of his game and a higher upside while doing it,” Finkelstein wrote. “He's an extreme shot-maker and quality scorer, solid defender, and now has on-off ball versatility.”

Walter Clayton Jr. could solve pressing issue for Hawks

While Clayton has expanded his game into combo-guard territory, he would still provide his best value for Atlanta as a point guard. Over the past few seasons, the Hawks have had well-documented issues finding a reliable Trae Young backup, and Clayton could be the answer.

From Aaron Holiday to Patty Mills to Kobe Bufkin, the Hawks have struggled to find an elite second-unit playmaker since Lou Williams retired. Bufkin suffered a season-ending injury in December, but he had been averaging 5.3 points on 21.1% shooting from 3-point range before his untimely shoulder subluxation.

Atlanta’s reserves had no problem scoring the rock this season, but they ranked No. 22 in bench assists with just 7.5 per game. The addition of a young playmaker like Clayton would not only energize Atlanta’s ball movement, but it would also create more lineup flexibility on the perimeter.

While the Hawks could search for a more experienced backup point guard instead, they have one of the youngest cores in the league and one of the youngest timelines in the league. Clayton is 22 years old with room to grow his game and sharpen his skills, and he would fit perfectly in Atlanta’s second unit.

The Florida product’s lengthy collegiate experience could also benefit him in making early on-court contributions at the NBA level. Clayton would also start his pro career learning from the reigning assist champ. Ice Trae averaged a career-high 11.6 assists across 76 appearances this season, building an elite case for the best passer in the league.

While many young rookies struggle to adapt their raw skills to the NBA level right away, Clayton is no ordinary rookie. From averaging 7.3 points as a freshman at Iona to capturing a national championship as his team’s best player, Clayton truly evolved during his time in college.

Needless to say, the Hawks would be wise to consider drafting Clayton in their search for the ideal backup point guard.