saturdaydownsouth.com

Avery Johnson shares pick for best player remaining in NCAA Tournament

Skip to content Avery Johnson has played the game at the highest level, winning an NBA title as a player with the San Antonio Spurs, and he’s coached it at the highest level, too, with a few NBA stops before a 4-year stint at Alabama that ended in 2019.

The 60-year-old New Orleans native knows the game inside-out, and now he’s paid to give his opinions on all things college basketball as an analyst for CBS Sports.

And on Thursday, in the leadup to the start of the Sweet 16, Johnson raised some eyebrows when giving his opinion on who the best remaining player is in the NCAA Tournament. Is it Duke freshman sensation Cooper Flagg? Or what about Auburn stud Johni Broome?

Or maybe even point guard Mark Sears, who plays for the program in Tuscaloosa that Johnson used to coach?

How about none of those 3 stars.

Johnson stayed in the SEC for his pick, but his guy plays for Florida. For Johnson, standout guard Walter Clayton Jr. is the best of the best.

“I think Walter Clayton is the best player left in the tournament He’s that good, guys. He can explode for 30 (points) at any time. I like his size, hand-eye coordination, shooting ability, leadership. And because you have that high level of basketball IQ on the floor, it helps elevate (Florida) coach Todd Golden, especially in this coaching matchup (with Maryland’s Kevin Willard),” said Johnson.

Now, we’ll see if Clayton can continue the magic he displayed in UF’s second-round victory over UConn as we hit the Sweet 16 and a showdown with Maryland.

Cory Nightingale

Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.