Walt Clayton Jr. Leads Jazz To Undefeated Summer League
Jul 8, 2025, 10:50 PM | Updated: Jul 9, 2025, 11:57 am
Utah Jazz guard Walter Clayton Jr. (13)(Credit: Brice Tucker, Deseret News)
(Credit: Brice Tucker, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz finished the Salt Lake City Summer League with a blemish-free 3-0 record, led by the heroics of rookie Walt Clayton Jr.
The Jazz beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 86-82, as Clayton Jr. scored 20 points to lead the home roster.
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Walt Clayton Jr. Clutch In Summer League
Though he didn’t shoot the ball as well as he may have hoped, Clayton Jr. knocked down his biggest shots when they mattered most.
Through each of the Jazz’s first three summer league games, the guard knocked down clutch fourth-quarter threes to help the roster stay undefeated in front of the home crowd.
In game one, Clayton Jr. hit a three-pointer with 2:38 left in the fourth to give the Jazz an 83-82 lead over the Philadelphia 76ers.
leading all scorers and dropping your first 20-piece? the summer’s just getting started for @w1clayton 🔥#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/PRSIKOeSIq
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) July 9, 2025
In game two, he sank a three with 8:19 left in the game to tie the score at 84 against the Memphis Grizzlies.
And on Tuesday, the 18th overall pick knocked down a three with 2:31 left to play to help the Jazz retake an 82-80 lead, an advantage they wouldn’t let go of for the remainder of the game.
Despite the clutch baskets, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the first-year guard.
Clayton Jr. got off to a slow start from the floor, connecting on just 1-9 field goals against the Thunder.
The cold shooting was a continuation of his first two games during Summer League, where the Florida product had connected on just 4-12 attempts, including 3-9 from the three-point line.
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The guard also committed a series of turnovers while being defended by the aggressive Thunder roster, resulting in coach Scott Morrison pulling him from the game.
“I didn’t know he was 1-9 to be honest,” Morrison said. “I was more worried about the little stretch of turnovers that he had in the fourth quarter, so we just took him out.”
Clayton Jr. responded with the big three just minutes after re-entering the game, and played mistake-free basketball the rest of the way.
“[We] had him calm down, and got him back in the game a little bit sooner,” Morrison said, “and just like the last two nights, he had a big three that was crucial to us winning the game.”
In the second half of Tuesday’s victory, the guard shot 4-5 from the floor, including 3-4 from three, to finish the night with a game-high 20 points.
The guard will now travel with the team to Vegas, where they continue Summer League play beginning on Friday night.
John Tonje, RJ Luis Hopeful To Play In Vegas
Neither John Tonje, the Jazz’s lone second-round pick, nor guard RJ Luis, who the team signed to a two-way contract shortly after the conclusion of the NBA Draft, were able to play in the Salt Lake Summer league due to injury.
Tonje is dealing with a rolled ankle while Luis has been suffering from knee soreness during the week in Utah, but the Jazz hope to see both in Vegas.
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Luis has recently participated in some work with the team during practice, but his availability remains uncertain.
Tonje was ruled out of the Salt Lake City Summer League Finale on Tuesday, but is close to game-ready.
Brice Sensabaugh is the only Jazz regular from the Salt Lake Summer League roster who is not expected to play for the team in Vegas.
Utah Jazz 2025 Vegas Summer League Schedule
Fri: 7/11 – Jazz vs. Hornets – 5 p.m. ESPN
un: 7/13 – Jazz vs. Warriors – 8 p.m. ESPN2
Mon: 7/14 – Jazz vs. Spurs – 6:30 p.m. NBATV
Wed: 7/16 – Jazz vs. Wizards – 8 p.m. ESPN
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.Â
