Up until last year, before UConn won its second straight NCAA men’s basketball championship in April 2024, the University of Florida (2006 and 2007) and Duke University (1991 and 1992) were the last two teams to repeat as national champions since John Wooden’s UCLA teams won seven in a row in the late 60s and early 70s.
Although their streak came to an end, the Gators and the Blue Devils remain the only two schools in the country to have three players drafted in the top 10 of the NBA Draft.
In 2007, the University of Florida made history when Al Horford, Corey Brewer, and Joakim Noah were selected with the third, seventh and ninth picks, respectively.
Horford was drafted third overall by the Atlanta Hawks, followed by Brewer (Minnesota Timberwolves) at No. 7, and Noah, who was drafted ninth by the Chicago Bulls.
In fact, Chris Richard and Taurean Green each went in the second round to give the Gators a school record five total players drafted.
The University of Kentucky holds the record with the most players selected in a single NBA draft, with six players drafted in 2012.
Then, in 2019, Duke joined Florida as the only college programs in NBA Draft history to have three players selected in the top 10 of a single draft.
Zion Williamson went No. 1 overall, breaking a tie with Kentucky for the most No. 1 overall picks all-time with four. That number went to five when Paolo Banchero, the Rookie of the Year in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in 2022, was selected first overall by the Orlando Magic in 2022 following his freshman season.
RJ Barrett was selected two picks after Williamson at No. 3, followed by Cam Reddish with the No. 10 selection.
It could happen again this year for Duke.
According to ESPN, the Dallas Mavericks will select Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick on Wednesday.
Khaman Maluach, a 7’2 center, and Kon Knueppel, a guard/forward, are also projected as lottery picks in the Consensus Mock Draft.
Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. may not be a lottery pick (first 14 picks), but he could end up somewhere between the mid to late first round.
Adam Finkelstein, Director of Scouting for 247Sports and a College Basketball Insider for CBS Sports, does have Clayton as a lottery pick in his mock draft (13th overall/Atlanta Hawks).
Clayton boosted his stock after leading the Gators to this year’s NCAA national championship while scoring a UF-record 713 points.
He became the first player in program history to be named a consensus first-team All-American selection, and he was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player and was selected to the All-Tournament Team.
The senior from Lake Wales averaged 18.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game and shot 44.8% from the floor for the Gators.
He averaged 22.3 ppg in the postseason and scored 34 points against Auburn in the Final Four and 30 versus Texas Tech in the Elite Eight (West Region).
According to ESPN Stats, Clayton became the first player with 30-point games in both the Elite Eight and semifinals since Larry Bird (Indiana State) in 1979.
Hoop Intellect’s Scouting Report listed Clayton as the best fit for the Magic or Miami Heat, among a few others.
Two other Gators are hoping to hear their name called during the NBA Draft.
Combo guard Will Richard and guard Alijah Martin are projected as potential second-round picks.
Richard, who scored 18 points in Florida’s 65-63 comeback win over Houston in the title game, averaged 13.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.7 steals in 31.6 minutes per game as a senior.
Martin averaged 14.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game in his lone year with Florida.
Swamp247 projected Clayton to be selected 17th overall (Minnesota Timberwolves), followed by Martin at No. 53 (Utah Jazz) and Richard at No. 58 (Cleveland Cavaliers).
In addition to Horford, who has played seven seasons in Boston, other notable Gators currently playing in the NBA include Bradley Beal (Phoenix Suns), Tre Mann (Charlotte Hornets), Dorian Finney-Smith (Los Angeles Lakers) and Andrew Nembhard (Indiana Pacers).
The NBA Finals were full of Gators flavor with the Pacers represented by Nembhard, who averaged 9.5 points and 5.5 assists in 67 games at UF from 2018-20, and former UF manager and current Pacers assistant coach Mike Weinar (2004-08).
Nembhard averaged 11.7 points and 3.7 assists over the seven-game NBA Finals.
A pair of Gators earned an NBA championship on Sunday, led by Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault, who spent three seasons (2011-14) on the Florida men’s basketball staff.
In addition, Gator alum DeVon Walker (2012-16) serves as the Thunder’s director of advance scouting and player analyst.
Both Daigneault and Walker were part of two SEC championship teams (2013, 2014) and a Final Four (2014) during their time in Gainesville.
It marks the second straight season that Florida has had ties with the NBA champions (2024, Horford, Boston) and the third time in the last four seasons (2022, Chris Chiozza, Golden State).
The 2025 NBA Draft will take place at 8 p.m. ET on June 25 (ABC/ESPN) and June 26 (ESPN).