Former Florida star Walter Clayton Jr. lands with Mavericks

Walter Clayton Jr. did not stay on the NBA market for long.The former Florida star agreed to a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania said, just two days after the Memphis Grizzlies waived him while finalizing their opening-night roster.Clayton cleared waivers before landing with Dallas, giving the 2025 first-round pick another opportunity after an eventful rookie with the Utah Jazz. He appeared in 69 games, including six starts, and averaged 7.8 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 rebounds in 20.4 minutes per game.The No. 18 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Clayton began his career with Utah before Memphis acquired him in February as part of the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade. Clayton's production increased after the move, averaging 9.7 points and 5.7 assists in 24 games with the Grizzlies.A Florida connection is also waiting for Clayton in Dallas. Mavericks head coach Dusty May spent three seasons as an assistant with the Gators from 2015-18 before eventually becoming the head coach at Florida Atlantic and Michigan. Dallas hired May in June after he led Michigan to the 2026 national championship; the two never crossed paths at the collegiate level, however.Clayton remains one of the most decorated players in Florida basketball history. He helped lead the Gators to the 2025 national championship and earned NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors after averaging 18.3 points during his final college season.The two-way deal gives Clayton an immediate path back into an NBA organization after Memphis moved on from him during its final roster cuts.Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Former Florida star Walter Clayton Jr. lands with Mavericks