Everyone around the college basketball world understood the danger Walter Clayton posed as the Florida Gators advanced deeper into the NCAA Tournament.
For the past two seasons, he has been the engine for one of the most high-powered offenses in the nation, getting Florida to the NCAA Tournament last year in coach Todd Golden's second season and then helping the Gators climb back atop the college basketball mountain with a 76-73 win over Houston in the NCAA Tournament final.
Watching Clayton in that tournament run was nothing short of (pun definitely intentional) magical.
Defenders treated him like he was Stephen Curry, trying to trail him, double him and top block him to prevent him from getting shots. None of it seemed to matter, especially late in games.
Clayton showed up on the biggest stages and at the biggest moments, piloting the Gators to come-from-behind wins in the second round over UConn, in the regional semifinal over Maryland, the regional final over Texas Tech, the Final Four over Auburn and the national championship game over Houston.
The performance from the 6-foot-2 guard from Lake Wales, Florida, was downright impressive. He went from a curious gunner to someone the NBA and basketball world had to take notice of.
It is no surprise that Clayton is probably the fastest riser and gained the most from the NCAA Tournament as he turns his attention from cutting down the nets in San Antonio to preparing for the NBA Draft. He is on everyone's radar.
Certainly, he is on the radar for Magic fans who got to see him up close and personal in their home state.
A perfect skill set fit
Undeniably, Walter Clayton has the skill set the Orlando Magic probably need most. He is a shot creator and shot maker, able to get shots off movement and fire off the dribble with the smallest of spaces.
Orlando misses movement shooting and players who can create their own shot. This is undeniably Clayton's best skill.
With Orlando looking for guard help, it is not too difficult to connect the dots and wonder if Clayton would be the perfect fit for the Orlando Magic with their late first-round pick coming from the Denver Nuggets.
Where it might have been a long shot before the tournament, it is increasingly looking like Clayton will fall right into the Magic's draft range.
Sam Vecenie of Game Theory has moved Clayton to the late first round after he was comfortably in the second round for much of the season. The tournament helped him that much. ESPN would seem to agree with Jonathan Givony moving him to No. 28 in his first post-NCAA Tournament mock draft.
While there have been a lot of people comparing him to stars like Stephen Curry after his stellar NCAA Tournament showing, that is likely aiming too high for a solid shooter with little playmaking or defensive chops. Vecenie instead compares him to Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard—still one of the best bench shooters in the league. They had similar college runs and both showed skills that translated readily to the NBA.
Clayton averaged 18.3 points per game and shot 38.6 percent from three this season. He had 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game, too. In the NCAA Tournament, Clayton averaged 22.3 points per game and shot 47.4 percent from the floor and 43.5 percent from three.
Clayton has seemingly played himself comfortably into the first round—Vecenie says somewhere in the 20s. That is exactly where the Magic will draft with that pick from the Nuggets, a spot where Game Theory co-host Bryce Simon said would not be crazy to take Clayton.
Hunt for a guard
It feels like a natural fit. And considering the other guard options, it feels like Walter Clayton should be an option.
Vecenie compares Walter Clayton favorably now against BYU guard Egor Demin or Michigan State guard Jase Richardson. Both of those players are solid players, but both have questions about their shooting and their fit. Demin is a 6-foot-9 point guard with a questionable shot. Richardson is a more athletic shooter, but not nearly the 3-point marksman that Clayton already is.
Still, Clayton has a lot to disprove and a lot of weaknesses that teams will consider.
While no one will question Clayton's shot-making or ability to get his own shot, there are still questions about his ability to get others involved. He is not a natural playmaker for a point guard at the college level. It is hard to imagine him being a creator for others in the NBA.
His defense is also a major question mark with his lack of size. He sometimes could get lost off the ball and bigger guards will be able to abuse him. That limits his potential in the NBA. It is a question of: What can he do outside of his shooting to carve a role in the NBA?
While Clayton was the star of the NCAA Tournament, he does not appear to be a star at the next level for those reasons.
Still, the Orlando Magic's biggest need this offseason is to find some extra creation and shot-making. And no doubt, Clayton is a shot-maker.
The question is whether he checks the other boxes everyone knows the Magic like. He certainly does not check the size and defense box that Orlando has leaned on in previous drafts.
Balancing offense and defense this offseason
But a big part of this offseason will be the Orlando Magic beginning to compromise on those skills to put an extra emphasis on offense. Everyone knows the Magic need to find shooting and creation. They need a more dynamic offense.
Taking a player like Walter Clayton in the draft would certainly be an admission of that need. The team would benefit from his skill set.
There is still a long way to go before the NBA Draft. The Magic are focused on the playoffs. And their draft strategy will likely go hand in hand with their other offseason moves and what trades they will potentially pursue.
In a draft that may be short on surefire shooters at guard, Clayton looks like a very good option. And his stellar NCAA Tournament run should have him clearly on the Magic's radar.