On Wednesday, The Sporting News announced that Walter Clayton Jr. has been selected to its First-Team All-America squad. With this honor, the Florida senior guard becomes the first player in program history to achieve first-team All-American status.
Clayton is now the sixth Gator to be recognized on one of the consensus All-America teams (first, second, or third). Previous honorees include Scottie Wilbekin (2014), Al Horford (2007), Joakim Noah (2007), Udonis Haslem (2001), and Neal Walk (1968, 1969).
As Florida’s leading scorer for the second consecutive season, Clayton averages 17.2 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.8 made three-pointers per game. His play has been pivotal in guiding the Gators to victories over two different No. 1-ranked opponents—making Florida just the fifth men’s college basketball program to accomplish that feat—as well as five total wins against top-25 teams. The Gators finished the regular season 27-4, the second-highest win total in school history, and enter postseason play ranked No. 4 nationally.
A native of Lake Wales, Fla., Clayton has recorded 10 games this season with at least four three-pointers. His streak of 53 consecutive games with a made three-pointer is a Florida record. After missing one contest due to injury, he returned to play all 40 minutes in the Gators’ upset of top-ranked Auburn. Since then, across nine games, he has averaged 5.6 assists and 3.1 threes per game, while maintaining a 2.94 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Clayton’s accolades extend beyond this latest honor. He has earned All-SEC recognition from the coaches, Associated Press, and USA Today. He is also a top-15 finalist for the John R. Wooden Award and one of five finalists for the Bob Cousy Award.
The Sporting News is the first of the recognized consensus selectors to release its All-America team. Other selectors include the Associated Press, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).
Florida, ranked No. 4, will return to action in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals Friday at 7 p.m. EDT in Nashville.
Gators on All-America Teams
1st, 2nd or 3rd Team by Consensus Selectors
| Walter Clayton Jr. | 2025 | 1st Team TSN |
| Scottie Wilbekin | 2014 | 3rd Team AP, NABC, TSN |
| Al Horford | 2007 | 2nd Team NABC; 3rd Team AP |
| Joakim Noah | 2007 | 2nd Team AP, NABC, USBWA |
| Udonis Haslem | 2001 | 3rd Team AP |
| Neal Walk | 1969 | 3rd Team AP, UPI |
| Neal Walk | 1968 | 2nd Team AP, UPI |
The Sporting News All-America
First Team
Johni Broome, Auburn
Walter Clayton Jr., Florida
Cooper Flagg, Duke
Mark Sears, Alabama
Braden Smith, Purdue
Second Team
Eric Dixon, Villanova
PJ Haggerty, Memphis
Kam Jones, Marquette
John Tonje, Wisconsin
JT Toppin, Texas Tech
Third Team
L.J. Cryer, Houston
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
Chaz Lanier, Tennessee
RJ Luis, St. John's
Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee
