"LeBron James, A'ja Wilson": Florida's Walter Clayton Jr. answers rapid-fire questions with SLAM ahead of 2025 NBA draft

Having completed four years of college basketball, Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. now has his name on the board for the 2025 NBA draft. With the draft just around the corner, Clayton Jr. linked up with popular basketball media outlet Slam for a rapid-fire interview.

In an Instagram video that Slam shared on Tuesday, Clayton was asked who, according to him, were the best NBA and WNBA players of all time. He named NBA legend Lebron James and 2X WNBA champion A'ja Wilson.

"LeBron James, A'ja Wilson," Clayton said.

When asked to name the best basketball team of all time, Clayton chose not to answer. With the draft right around the corner, he didn't want to single out any team, especially with the possibility of joining any of them.

"Hmmmmm, I'mma pass," Clayton said. "Finna get drafted, I'mma pass."

However, Clayton did confidently predict that whichever team drafts him will win the 2026 NBA Finals. He expects the New York Liberty to take home the 2025 WNBA title.

Clayton was next asked to name the greatest defender and coach of all time. For him, the best defender is nine-time NBA All-Star Gary Payton, and the best coach is legendary Phil Jackson.

Clayton tackled a few other lighthearted questions in the interview. He shared his take on the best sneakers of all time, giving the nod to the iconic Jordan 4s. As for his favorite basketball movies, he couldn't pick one, naming both 'Love & Basketball' and 'He Got Game' as his all-time favorites.

ESPN's Mock NBA draft predicts Walter Clayton Jr. to be picked by the Miami Heat

According to ESPN's latest mock draft, updated on Monday, Walter Clayton Jr. is projected to go 20th overall in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday. The pick belongs to the Miami Heat, though it originally came from Golden State through a past trade.

Walter Clayton Jr. finished his college basketball career on a high, winning the NCAA tournament in his final college basketball year. He had one of his best seasons stat-wise, averaging 18.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. He'll be a quality addition to whichever team picks him.

The 2025 NBA draft is scheduled to take place Wednesday and Thursday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

About the author

Inioluwa is a High School Sports journalist with a BSc in Microbiology and four years of experience in the field. His love of sports led him to develop an interest in journalism, and that led him here.

A Golden State Warriors fan, Inioluwa's favorite player in sports is Steph Curry and his favorite coach is Steve Kerr. His favorite sporting moment was the Warriors winning the Championship in 2015 after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games.

When not watching or writing about sports, Inioluwa likes to play football and enjoys gaming, especially football manager.

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Edited by Parag Jain