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Walter Clayton Jr. finds his groove in Vegas Summer League but leaves with injury

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Walter Clayton Jr. had his best Summer League performance thus far for the Utah Jazz on Friday night in a 111-105 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, but the former Florida guard’s debut outing in Las Vegas ended prematurely.

The 18th overall pick in the recent 2025 NBA Draft, Clayton struggled to find a firm footing during Utah’s trio of games during the Salt Lake City Summer League. He shot 34.6% from the field, 36.8% from 3, and averaged 11 points a game.

In Friday night’s game at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Clayton scored 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting and 4-of-10 shooting from downtown. He also added 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and a blocked shot.

But Clayton also picked up what the team confirmed was a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter and did not return. He left with roughly 3 minutes remaining in the game and was taken back to the team locker room.

Afterward, per the Salt Lake Tribune, Clayton said his hamstring was “just a little tight.” Clayton added that he felt he could continue playing in Summer League, but that decision might not ultimately be up to him. The Jazz play again on Sunday against the Golden State Warriors. They play the San Antonio Spurs on Monday and then face the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.

Derek Peterson

Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.