Walter Clayton Jr. has dethroned Duke’s Cooper Flagg as the highest NIL earner for April, just a few weeks before the NBA Draft. The Florida Gators guard topped the list of the biggest NIL earners in a newly released ranking from The NIL Store.
Walter Clayton Jr. Overtakes Cooper Flagg as Top NIL Earner
According to the X post from The NIL Store, Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr., who just won a national championship at the beginning of April, overtook projected first overall MBA Draft pick Cooper Flagg.
Gator Boys all over the top earners of April
Thoughts on this list? pic.twitter.com/uy2ToILvod
— The NIL Store (@nil_store) May 7, 2025
Still, Duke dominated the list, with three players representing the top ten. Clayton’s NIL earnings are reportedly worth $626,000. The Florida Gators guard has deals with Chomp Out Hunger and the North Central Florida YMCA.
Clayton’s rise has been nothing short of remarkable. The 22-year-old was impressive as a junior at Florida, recording an average of 17.6 points per game and shooting 37% from deep, earning All-SEC honors. Clayton tested the NBA waters but decided to return to Florida for one more season.
The Florida Gators guard played off the ball in 2023–24, and head coach Todd Golden moved his sharpshooting scorer to lead guard in 2024–25, instead of hitting the portal for what many believe would have been a proven point guard.
He doubled his assist rate from 12.7% in 2023–2024 to 25.6% in SEC play. Despite the higher volume, he also improved his scoring average by a point per game and raised his 3-point shooting percentage to a career-high 39%.
Clayton also performed in a remarkable win at No. 1 Auburn in February. He recorded 19 points and dished out nine assists, emerging as the best player on the floor in a game featuring multiple All-SEC hoopers and two future First-Team All-Americans.
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The guard also recorded 22 points and handed out 8 assists in a clash with Alabama in March. He outshone his fellow All-American Mark Sears in the showdown. Additionally, he became the first Florida player to score 30 and 34 points against Texas Tech and Auburn, respectively.
The Florida star became the first player since Larry Bird to drop 30 or more points in consecutive Elite Eight and Final Four games.
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