Latest news with #Clayton
USA Today
10 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Colorado football offers standout 2026 Illinois quarterback commit
Colorado football extended an offer to three-star class of 2026 quarterback and Illinois commit Michael Clayton. Clayton committed to Illinois last November and took an official visit to Champaign earlier this month. He becomes Deion Sanders and the Buffs' 23rd offered quarterback in the 2026 class, but 17 of those recruits have already committed to programs. The Buffs become the 33rd program to offer Clayton, who 247Sports ranks as the No. 43 quarterback in the class of 2026 and the No. 99 player from Florida. Colorado is still busy at work in the class of 2026 cycle, adding two commitments this week to bring their class total to four. The program's current class ranks No. 102 nationally and last in the Big 12. Sanders and his staff will need at least one signal caller from the 2026 class, and currently, it seems that flipping an already committed recruit is the most likely path. Clayton adds another potential flip to the list. Follow Charlie Strella on X, Threads and Instagram. Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Heat rumors: Miami's draft plans linked to star Florida guard
The post Heat rumors: Miami's draft plans linked to star Florida guard appeared first on ClutchPoints. With the Miami Heat preparing for the NBA Draft with the first round on Wednesday, there are no doubt many fans who have their picks on who the team should select. While the Heat look to avoid making a mistake in the NBA Draft, the team's recent selections have been anything but that, as the latest report connects a college player staying in-state. Advertisement ClutchPoints' NBA insider Brett Siegel would have Miami taking the University of Florida's Walter Clayton Jr. with the 20th overall pick after the guard led his program to a national title. Especially after missing out on trading for Kevin Durant, the team does need another scoring threat and a point guard, which Clayton fills in. Plus, Siegel would report that the Heat picking the Gator has 'gained momentum among league personnel.' 'The Miami Heat are said to be valuing experienced prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft that can provide an instant impact on the court rather than youthful projects with long-term upside,' Siegel wrote. 'As a result, Walter Clayton Jr., who just led Florida to a national championship, can become the Heat's point guard next to Tyler Herro in the backcourt.' 'After missing out on trading for Durant, Miami needs to prioritize finding scoring threats next to Herro and Bam Adebayo,' Siegel continued. 'Outside of Herro, the Heat don't have other lead playmakers in their backcourt, which makes Clayton a high-upside pick for Pat Riley. Clayton to Miami has gained momentum among league personnel in recent days.' Walter Clayton Jr. fits what the Heat needs Scott Wachter-Imagn Images After the Heat wasn't able to land Durant, as mentioned before, the team could look to the draft in building a foundation from their other first-round picks that have been successful. With the main duo of Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro leading Miami, other first-round picks such as last year's Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Nikola Jovic figure to be a big part next season, with Clayton's traits likely to fit in nicely. Advertisement 'Clayton is a dynamic scorer and finisher with the ball in his hands who doesn't back down from a challenge,' Siegel wrote. 'He may be listed at 6-foot-2, but Clayton never shies away from contact and proved to be one of the best perimeter players off the dribble in the draft when he led the Gators to a title.' At any rate, Miami is looking to improve after finishing with a 37-45 record, which put them 10th in the Eastern Conference before they were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Related: Heat's 10 worst NBA Draft day mistakes in history Related: Heat rumors: Miami's final Kevin Durant offer prior to Rockets trade, revealed
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
LA Times Today: Frech family prepares for 11th Angel City Games
Los Angeles native Ezra Frech was one of the breakout stars of the 2024 Paris Paralympics, capturing two gold medals. Ezra recently wrapped up his first year at USC where he competed in track and field for the he's now gearing up for the Angel City Games founded by his father, Clayton. Ezra and Clayton are here to share details.
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
One for the Books: Playing the game's half the fun in books that make you put the pieces together
Level up your summer reading list with this Amazing Book Challenge category: Are You Game? Whether you're a fan of board games, puzzles, crosswords or video games, this game-themed book list has something for every kind of player. Dive into stories where games aren't just pastimes, they're the heart of the adventure, the key to mystery or the path to unexpected friendships. Choose your title, roll the dice and get ready to play! To see the full list of recommendations and other Amazing Book Challenge categories, go to If you're always looking for that last missing piece, try 'The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers' by Samuel Burr. Abandoned at birth on the steps of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, Clayton was raised by a group of eccentric enigmatologists and now finds himself among the last survivors of a fading institution. When the esteemed crossword compiler and main maternal presence in Clayton's life passes away, she bestows her final puzzle on him: a promise to reveal the mystery of his parentage and prepare him for life beyond the walls of the commune. If you're a gamer girl, try 'Game On' by Seressia Glass. Samara Reynolds, a gamer and DEIA consultant, sparks an online movement after critiquing the game Legendsfall and its company, Artemis Games. Unexpectedly, she receives a job offer from Aron Galanis, Artemis's CEO, who's striving to make the company more inclusive. Tasked with improving the game's character options, their partnership evolves from rivals to friends and then something more. But when their relationship goes public, will they survive the fallout or face game over? If you're a reality tv show junkie, try 'Everyone Is Watching' by Heather Gudenkauf. Five contestants have been chosen to compete for $10 million on the game show One Lucky Winner. The catch? None of them knows what (or who) to expect, and it will be live streamed all over the world. When long-kept secrets begin to rise to the surface, the contestants realize this is no longer just a reality show — someone is out for blood. And the game can't end until the world knows who the contestants really are. If you've always got dibs on Professor Plum, try 'Board to Death' by CJ Connor. Ben Rosencrantz runs his family's board game shop but struggles to get his life to pass go, much less collect $200. When a local game collector, Clive, offers him a rare edition of The Landlord's Game at a suspiciously low price, Ben declines. Then Clive is found dead at Ben's door, along with a backpack of cash. Now the prime suspect, Ben must clear his name and find the real killer—or face jail for murder. And no amount of double dice rolls will set him free… If your ideal Saturday night is being trapped in a themed room with friends, try 'Escape Room' by Maren Stoffels. Told from multiple viewpoints, Alissa, Sky, Mint and Miles enter an Escape Room with one hour to find clues, crack codes and solve puzzles. But what will happen when the Game Master has no intention of letting them out… If you have a killer card game, try 'Cards on the Table' by Agatha Christie. Mr. Shaitana is famous as a flamboyant party host. Nevertheless, he is a man of whom everybody is a little afraid. So, when he boasts to Hercule Poirot that he considers murder an art form, the detective has some reservations about accepting a party invitation to view Shaitana's 'private collection.' Indeed, what begins as an absorbing evening of bridge is to turn into a more dangerous game altogether.… If you like a little word play, try 'Queen of the Tiles' by Hanna Alkaf. When Najwa Bakri walks into her first Scrabble competition since her best friend Trina's death, it's to heal and move on with her life. With Trina, the Scrabble Queen herself, gone, the Scrabble throne is empty and her friends are eager to be the next reigning champion. All's fair in love and Scrabble, but all bets are off when Trina's formerly inactive Instagram starts posting again. Its cryptic messages suggest that maybe Trina's death wasn't as straightforward as everyone thought. And maybe someone at the competition had something to do with it. If you have an extreme collection of dice, try 'Dungeons and Drama' by Kristy Boyce. Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway. But when Riley takes her mom's car without permission, she's grounded and stuck with the worst punishment: spending her after-school hours working at her dad's game shop. Riley can't waste her time working, so she convinces Nathan — a nerdy teen employee — to cover her shifts and, in exchange, she'll flirt with him to make his gamer-girl crush jealous. Soon, Riley starts to think that flirting with Nathan doesn't require as much acting as she would've thought.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Utah Jazz trade up for Florida G Walter Clayton Jr. in first round of 2025 NBA draft
The Utah Jazz traded up with the Washington Wizards to select former Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. with the No. 18 pick of the 2025 NBA draft on Wednesday night. "I felt like I gained a lot (of confidence) just being around those guys (at Florida)," Clayton said after being drafted. "I don't think people understand the chemistry we had on and off the court in the time we spent together." Clayton said his daughter was his greatest source of motivation as he begins his NBA career. ESPN had Clayton linked to Miami at pick No. 20 and projected New Orleans to take him three picks later. Several other projection services mocked Clayton to the Heat, and his floor appeared to be No. 26 with Brooklyn. "Clayton has showcased his dynamic shotmaking in workouts and worked his way up boards in a first round that has shaped up somewhat light on point guard options," read ESPN's Jeremy Woo's justification. "He has fans in front offices selecting higher than (No. 23), with scenarios in play in which he lands in the top 20. His explosiveness and ability to create his own shot are strong calling cards that should give him a pathway to being a useful bench scorer, at worst." Woo's words became reality at 10:15 p.m. as NBA commissioner Adam Silver called Clayton's name. He got the call to make things official, became emotional and embraced his family before going up to the stage. Despite wearing a Wizards hat for the photo op, Clayton is headed to Utah. Walter Clayton Jr. with the Gators Clayton joined Florida ahead of the 2023-24 campaign. A top-100 transfer who blossomed as a sophomore under Rick Pitino at Iona, Clayton started alongside UC Riverside transfer Zyon Pullin in the second year of the Todd Golden era at Florida. In his first year with the program, Clayton earned second-team All-Conference honors and led the Gators with 17.6 points per game — the most for a Gator since 2003-04. He immediately became one of the most prolific scorers in program history, ranking in the top 10 for a single season in most major scoring categories. Although Florida came up short in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, a 33-point outburst served as an omen for what was to come. Clayton returned as the unquestioned leader of Florida's offense and stepped into the starting point guard role. While he played with a notably increased focus on passing the ball, Clayton still took over games with his shooting whenever necessary. His back-to-back 30-plus games in the Elite Eight and Final Four made him the first player since Larry Bird to achieve that feat in a regional final or deeper in the playoffs. He surpassed the 2,000 point mark for his career and earned a consensus All-America nod. Walter Clayton Jr. before Florida Clayton grew up in Lake Wales, Florida, and played high school ball for the Bartow Yellow Jackets. He was a dual-sport athlete being recruited by Power Four programs in football until he it gave up after his sophomore year. He led Bartow to a pair of state championships, averaging 15.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 steals over those two seasons. He averaged 7.3 points, 1.6 assists and 2.2 rebounds over 16.1 minutes per game off the bench as a true freshman at Iona. While still adjusting to the speed of the college game, Clayton shot a modest 43.4% from the field and 35.7% from deep. His 78.7% free-throw shooting is uncharacteristic, but he was still a rookie. Clayton took over a starting role for the Gaels in 2022-23. He improved all of his averages — 16.8 points, 3.2 assists and 4.3 rebounds — while playing 30 minutes a game. His shooting percentages also went up, 45.5% from the field, 43.1% from deep and an elite 95.3% at the free throw line. Florida draft history Florida has produced 12 first-round picks besides Clayton. Legendary center Neal Walk was the first and highest-picked at No. 2 in 1969, and then it took more than two decades for another. Center Dwayne Schintzius went at No. 24 in 1990, and Jason "White Chocolate" Williams broke into the top 10 at No. 7 in 1998. Forwards Mike Miller (No. 5) and Donnell Harvey (No. 22) were the first duo to go in the first round during the same year in 2000, and David Lee snuck into the first round at No. 30 in 2005. The legendary trio of Corey Brewer (No. 7), Al Horford (No. 3) and Joakim Noah (No. 9) all went in the top 10 in the 2007 draft. Marreese Speights was No. 16 in 2008, Beal was No. 3 in 2012 and Mann was No. 18 in 2021. 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.
