Walter Clayton Jr.

Clayton arrived as college basketball's biggest 2025 name — Florida's national-title engine and Final Four Most Outstanding Player, a consensus first-team All-American. Washington drafted him 18th and shipped him to Utah on draft night; then, in February 2026, the Jazz moved him again, sending him to Memphis in the blockbuster that returned Jaren Jackson Jr. The change of scenery suited him. His playmaking jumped after the trade — he closed the year around 13 points and six assists over his final five games — and the Grizzlies now have a downhill combo guard who scores in bunches and creates for others. The shot selection and defense still need seasoning, as with most rookies, but Clayton's pedigree and late-season form make him one of the West's more intriguing first-year pieces.