Oct 22, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Walter Clayton Jr. (13) passes the ball against the Los Angeles Clippers during the second quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Walt Clayton Jr. Has Surprising Takeaway From First Utah Jazz Game

Originally posted on Utah Jazz on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Oct 27, 2025 3:58 PM ET

The Utah Jazz, in the first two games of their 2025-26 NBA season thus far, have gotten an early glimpse of what to expect from their pair of rookie talents in Ace Bailey and Walt Clayton Jr.

Bailey has had a ton of the spotlight shining on him since getting to Utah this summer, but Clayton is a guy who can't be lost in the shuffle.

The 18th-overall pick from this offseason is a key fixture of the Jazz's backcourt rotation for this year and onwards, has shown some inspiring flashes through his limited showings.

And, through his initial regular season sample size, Clayton's also been pretty productive. He's averaged just under 20 minutes a game within the Jazz's 1-1 start, rattling off averages of 10.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists while shooting an efficient 53% from the field.

It's a solid start for the rookie guard, and one that for Clayton himself, has also came with one surprising revelation when he's on the floor: the NBA game is actually bit slower than he first expected.

"It's a little slower than I thought it would be," Clayton said of the NBA game. "I think I've probably said it before, too: I think it's just creating more possessions with the shot clock, obviously, going from 30 to 24 [seconds]. But, I think the game's a little bit more slower than I thought."

Walt Clayton Jr. Says NBA Pace is Slower Than He Thought

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Rather than seeing a faster pace that oftentimes can overwhelm a first-year talent when first entering the league, Clayton sees the landscape differently.

The NBA game, with a faster shot clock, is bound to have more possessions and higher scoring games. However, the speed of the game comes out to be less extreme in his mind.

The biggest difference for Clayton, instead of speed, comes down to players being forced to make smarter, more thought-out decisions.

"It's just a lot more methodical; guys trying to make the right reads," Clayton said. "A guy might take a couple of extra seconds just to make the right play, rather than forcing something up quick."

And Clayton, a more experienced guard relative to those at his age in the league, having a good bit of college experience under his belt, is a strong fit for that type of offense.

Clayton's a sound, smooth decision-maker when given the opportunity, especially in late-game situations, that bodes well for this young Jazz roster, and should only improve with more reps at the next level.

Once able to slow the game down further, Clayton will be a dangerous presence in the Jazz's guard rotation on both ends of the floor, even more so than he already is just a couple of games deep into his NBA career.