The second round of the 2025 NBA Draft brought chaos yet again. The round saw seasoned college vets and overseas wildcards get drafted. As the chaos unfolded, the SEC saw some of its best players get drafted.
Five SEC stars were already drafted in the first round from Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas. But when the second round commenced, one SEC school continued to make headlines.
Florida Gators Lead the SEC with Most Players Selected in the 2025 NBA Draft
The Florida Gators, with three names called, have officially topped the SEC charts with the most players drafted. To make things more momentous, this is the second time in Florida history that three players have been drafted in the same year. The last trio to be drafted was Al Horford, Corey Brewer, and Joakim Noah in 2007.
Walter Clayton Jr. | Utah Jazz | No.18
Walter Clayton Jr. entered Florida as an unranked recruit. Now, he was one of the top 20 in the NBA Draft. The Utah Jazz selected Clayton Jr. with the 18th overall pick. The pick originally belonged to Washington, but the Jazz traded up to land him. Clayton Jr., after all, is the man who broke Florida’s single-season scoring record.
first 3-member NBA draft class since 2007!! pic.twitter.com/2FmOFnY3wf
— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) June 27, 2025
Clayton Jr.’s 713 points were one of the main reasons for the Gators’ wild national title run. This earned him a Final Four MOP and consensus All-American honors. He also has some made three-pointers, which add up to 210 in his career, including 117 this past season alone.
While it is true that his size and athleticism are not the best, there is no questioning his shot-making.
Alijah Martin | Toronto Raptors | Second Round – No.39
Alijah Martin was drafted No. 39 by the Toronto Raptors. He, much like Clayton Jr., played an important role in Florida’s championship run. He averaged 14.4 points last season and scored in eight of nine postseason games.
Bringing that winning mentality 🙂↕️ pic.twitter.com/dIP659oxFJ
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) June 27, 2025
Martin’s 36% shooting from deep and drives to the hoop made him the perfect sidekick to Clayton’s scoring spree. NBA scouts seemed to have loved his energy. He is a smooth shooter, and Toronto might’ve just struck gold with this late pick. Some questions about him that remain unanswered.
Martin’s size and inconsistent ball handling are big issues. He’s not quite a point guard, yet undersized for a wing. And his shot selection at times can be erratic. Still, with over 2,000 career points and a proven clutch gene, he has an upside that the Raptors can work with.
Will Richard | Golden State Warriors | Second Round – No.56
And then there was Will Richard, closing out Florida’s draft run. Richard was picked at No. 56 by the Golden State Warriors via the Grizzlies. Richard is the first Todd Golden transfer commit who didn’t get a combine invite or a greenroom seat. But he got drafted nevertheless.
pure gold https://t.co/U7IQnHVYkK
— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) June 27, 2025
Richard brings consistency to the table. A 36% shooter from three, he rotated with Martin as Florida’s second scorer, but he lived beyond the arc. There is, then, of course, the concern with his scoring.
Richard had under 10 points in 14 of 40 games last season and tends to fade if his shot isn’t falling early. Defensively, he’ll need to take another athletic leap. But he is loyal, has a good work ethic, and is coachable.