The Miami Heat is on a rebuilding year, and they are kicking it off with the No. 20 pick from the NBA draft. One of their top targets is Walter Clayton Jr., who is fresh off his NCAA national championship run with the Florida Gators last April and is looking to continue his career in the NBA.
He has had two workouts with the Miami Heat so far and may be the one that Erik Spoelstra’s team picks for their No. 20 spot. There are rumors that Miami is now locked in with the Florida star, especially as he has cancelled working out with other teams after his second workout with the Heat, according to 247Sports’ Adam Finklestein.
👀 Keep your eyes on Walter Clayton Jr.
Per @AdamFinkelstein, Clayton had two workouts with the Miami HEAT… and canceled his other scheduled workouts after the second one.
Is Miami zeroing in on the Florida guard at No. 20? pic.twitter.com/4rcv245niU
— Heat Diehards (@HeatDiehards) June 24, 2025
Walter Clayton Jr. burst into the scene during the Florida Gators’ run to the NCAA national title. He averaged 22.3 points per game during the NCAA National tournament and is one of Florida’s leading scorers during that run. He is largely seen as one of the best shooters in the 2025 draft class, having scored a total of 1,346 points in his two years with the Gators, this being the most in franchise history for that time span.
Because of his championship run with the Gators this year, Clayton has many teams, Miami included, hoping he can translate that to an NBA championship once he arrives in the league. In getting the Florida Gator, the Heat are not just getting a champion, but also a versatile combo guard who is a consistent shooter.
Walter Clayton Jr. was an Unranked Player in High School
When he was still in high school, Cooper Flagg was the No. 1-ranked prospect from the Class of 2024. Unlike Flagg, however, Walter Clayton Jr. came out of high school without getting a class ranking, even though he led Bartow High School to two Class 6A state titles.
Despite this, he developed to be an excellent player once he got to college at Iona, becoming the MAAC Player of the Year. He soon transferred to St. John’s but then transferred again, this time to Florida, where he would make a name for himself. He would not just be a high school state champion, but also win the SEC title and a national championship.
All this after not being ranked in high school, and will now possibly be the No. 20 pick in the NBA draft.
Related: ‘I Can Do Anything’ – Walter Clayton Jr. Sends Strong Message Ahead of 2025 NBA Draft
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