SAN ANTONIO – Florida basketball guard Walter Clayton Jr has drawn comparisons from some top-notch NBA players during his miraculous March Madness run.
In San Francisco, it was two-time NBA MVP Steph Curry. Gators Assistant Coach Kevin Hovde likened New York Knicks all-star Jalen Brunson. ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith mentioned Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham (even if he misspelled names).
A new name emerged from the pack Saturday night – the hick from French Lick:
Larry Bird.
With his 34 points in the Gators Final Four win over Auburn, Clayton became the first player since Bird at Indiana State in 1979 with back-to-back 30-point games in the Elite Eight and Final Four. The Lake Wales native tallied exactly 30 points in UF’s Elite Eight win over Texas Tech last Saturday.
Clayton spoke about the honor before Florida’s NCAA Final Monday night vs. Houston in San Antonio. He was unaware of the stat until the Sun mentioned it to him.
“The guys around me, they trust me. They've allowed me to come here and play my game, and it's great,” Clayton said. “We got one more to get done.”
He said it means a lot to be included with one of the greatest players in college basketball and NBA history.
“Larry Bird is one of the greatest players to have played the game,” Clayton said.
Winning is nothing new for Clayton, who won two state titles in high school. At this level, he said his teammates have allowed him to soak in the moment while still focusing on the task ahead.
“We've done a great job of enjoying the wins, but locking in after we win,” Clayton said.
Coach Todd Golden used the words “fantastic, phenomenal, spectacular” to describe Clayton. He called him the best guard in America.
