The Utah Jazz not only drafted Walter Clayton Jr. but also traded up for him, signifying a strong belief in his abilities. The hero of the 2025 March Madness tournament saw his stock skyrocket before the Jazz drafted him, and draft expert Sam Vecenie gave one particular reason why he believes Clayton will succeed: his "cadence."
During his podcast, Vecenie explained why he's high on Clayton: his rhythm as a player will make him difficult to guard.
"I think part of what makes Walter Clayton so special... is that cadence he plays with," Vecenie said. "The very hoppy cadence where, when combined with his ability to shoot really keeps defender off balance, right? Like he is so good at using those rhythm dribbles and then, oh (expletive), you're sitting back on your heels. I have a quick release and I can pop up from three.
"Oh (expletive), like you're playing tight, I'm going to blow by because I'm a way better athlete than what people think. Like, genuinely like football player-like athlete has some explosiveness and has some real pop in the ability to like hang in the air a little bit as well because of that explosiveness that he has. It's a little bit underrated."
Vecenie also acknowledged what may hold Clayton back but also added that his one flaw typically does not prove to be much of a problem for players like him.
"He is a little bit smaller. I do think that these are the guys that tend to exceed whatever they are."
It's those abilities that got Florida its first NCAA championship since 2007. Clayton was the one who led the charge, and it got him to become a first-round pick. He only continued to impress during Summer League, as even when his shot wasn't falling and he was turning the ball over, the Jazz still played better when he was on the floor.
Because the Jazz don't exactly have the biggest standouts at guard, Clayton could compete for a starting spot, and even if he doesn't get it, if things continue to go his way, it may not be long before he becomes a starter. Even if it's setting the bar high, he has been compared to Stephen Curry, and while that seems unlikely, that could be his ceiling.
The last time the Jazz acquired a guard like Clayton, it worked out tremendously
The Jazz traded up to get Clayton, an undersized guard who has shown promising scoring and playmaking abilities because they were high on his abilities. You know who that sounds like? Donovan Mitchell.
Utah also traded up for him, as they were high on him in the draft. He didn't have the same pedigree that Clayton does coming out of college. In fact, Mitchell was lauded most for his defense upon entering the NBA. As it turns out, Mitchell turned out to be one of the best draft steals in Jazz history.
Sure, it didn't work out the way Utah would have liked in the end, but it's still fair to say Mitchell was one of Utah's best success stories. Clayton might not have the same future that Mitchell did, but the circumstances are very similar.