Gators National Champion Will Be in Green Room for Round 2 of NBA Draft

With round two of the NBA draft set to start at 8 p.m. Thursday, another former Florida Gators star and national champion, Alijah Martin, will wait to hear his name called in the green room from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

Martin, Florida’s second leading scorer, hopes to be the second Gators player to hear his name called in the draft after Walter Clayton Jr., Florida’s leading scorer, was selected No.18 overall to the Utah Jazz in round one.

The former FAU star played just one season with Todd Golden and the Gators, quickly becoming one of the most important players in their title run. He averaged 14.4 points and 4.5 rebounds in 2024, while shooting 45% from the field.

Martin will join a list of 11 names, including former Gators opponents Johni Broome and Koby Brea, as prospects in the green room hoping to greet the commissioner on stage after being selected. ESPN lists him as the 28th best player remaining, while their most recent mock draft has him selected at pick 52 to the Phoenix Suns.

Likely to be the second Gators player selected, Martin notably was reported to have a pre-draft workout with Utah, the same team that selected Clayton and one that owns picks 43 and 53 tonight. While only a cool possibility for now, the two Florida teammates suiting up together in the league would undoubtedly be fun for the Gators fanbase.

Draft coverage begins at 8 p.m., with the Minnesota Timberwolves first on the clock.

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