It is no secret to Florida Basketball fans that Walter Clayton Jr. is good at what he does. After turning into Greg Jennings and putting the team on his back against UConn and Texas Tech, Clayton did it again against Auburn and put together the most casual 34 points anyone could have in a Final Four game.
In scoring over 30 points in the Final Four after his Elite Eight performance, Clayton accomplished something that no one has accomplished since 1979.
And the man he shared that pedestal with is an all-time hoops icon.
Florida Basketball: Birdman
Clayton had 30 points against Texas Tech to bring Florida back from the dead and advance them to the Final Four. Tonight, Clayton had 34 points on 11-18 shooting, going 5-8 from three and a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line.
According to Jared Berson, formerly of ESPN, Clayton is the first player since Larry Bird in 1979 to score at least 30 points in the Elite Eight and the National Semifinals in the same tournament.
Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. is the first player with a 30-point game in the Elite 8 and National Semifinals of the same NCAA Tournament since Indiana State’s Larry Bird in 1979.
— Jared Berson (@JaredBerson) April 6, 2025
Bird, of course, accomplished his feat with the famous 1979 Indiana State squad that made it to the national title game, where they squared off with Magic Johnson and Michigan State, a game that is still remembered to this day.
And if you dig deeper, according to Berson, the list of players who accomplished this feat prior to Bird is just as elite:
- Ernie DiGregorio in 1973
- Jerry Chambers in 1966
- Jerry West in 1959
- Wilt Chamberlain in 1957
- Clyde Lovellette in 1952
In the process of scoring 34 points, Clayton also passed Joakim Noah as Florida's all-time NCAA Tournament points leader.
With the win over Auburn, Florida now moves on to the national title on Monday at 8:50 PM. The Gators will take on the winner of Duke vs. Houston.