Utah rookie Walter Clayton Jr. had a productive game coming off the bench in his NBA debut
In the first game of the 2025-26 season, the Jazz faced the Clippers at home. Los Angeles is a 9.5-point favorite heading into Wednesday night’s game.
Despite being at a disadvantage, the Jazz pulled off an upset victory over the Clippers. After a 129-108 win, they started the season with a 1-0 record. Walker Kessler scored a team-high 22 points. Additionally, rookie point guard Walter Clayton Jr. had a productive game off the bench for the Utah Jazz. He finished with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals.
Walter Clayton Jr. impresses in NBA debut with Utah Jazz
Walter Clayton Jr. appeared in his first NBA game and looked like a backup point guard who’s ready for the NBA
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The Jazz selected Walter Clayton Jr. from Florida State with the 18th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The 22-year-old spent four seasons in college. Two games against Iona and the final against the Gators. As a senior in 2024-25, Walter Clayton helped Florida win its first national championship in 18 years. He is an unstoppable force in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Despite being an older player, Walter Clayton Jr. is ready for the NBA.
He proved that in his NBA debut Wednesday night. The rookie played 18 minutes and scored 10 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals. Clayton is 4-8 from the field and 1-3 from beyond the arc. He also made a free throw to make the score 1-1. Walter Clayton played more games in Utah’s season opener than Ace Bailey, a top-five pick out of Rutgers.
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Bailey came off the bench for 20 minutes on Wednesday. He had 2 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. The 19-year-old is 1-5 from the field and 0-2 from beyond the arc. This certainly wasn’t the NBA debut Ace Bailey expected. The most important thing is that the team won. Newbies may need some time to develop.
While Ace Bailey had a disappointing start, Walter Clayton Jr. had a solid debut. On Wednesday night, he was tied for second on the team with five assists and six rebounds. Even in a smaller role, Walter Clayton Jr. made a name for himself. If the rookie’s production continues to increase, Clayton Jr. could see his role expand.
