We’ll continue our men’s basketball player previous with Jordan Clayton, who hopes to build on increased playing time last year as he gains a more prominent role from this season’s get-go.
Who is he?
Junior; guard; 6-foot-2; from Medford, Massachusetts
2024-2025 Stats
10 games, 10 starts, 20.7 minutes per game, 4.7 points per game, 2.4 rebounds per game, 2.5 assists per game, 0.7 steals per game, 34.6% FG, 28.0% 3PT
2024-2025 Review
It was an unexpected season for Clayton. He had started the season as a redshirt sophomore, recognizing that the additions
of Jalen Leach, KJ Windham and Angelo Ciaravino would make it an uphill battle to gain valuable rotation minutes. Taking a year off to develop and prioritize a season eligibility felt like the right move. But then, the injury bug struck.
When Brooks Barnhizer and Leach suffered season-ending injuries, Clayton was called upon to fill their spots in the rotation. His presence as a point guard was needed. Embracing the next-man-up mentality, Clayton made the selfless decision to discontinue redshirting and be thrust into the rotation as an everyday starter for the home stretch of the season.
“He realized he was needed. He came to see me on the off day after Jalen got hurt, and he said, ‘Coach, I can help. I want to get out there and play,” head coach Chris Collins said.
In Clayton’s 10 starts, the numbers were not striking, but signaled signs of improvement. Clayton’s confidence and comfort with the ball in his hands was invaluable to a ‘Cats team that was depleted of facilitators. He had seven points and a game-high five assists in his first career start against Washington, and showed his tenacity on the glass with a career-high six rebounds and seven assists against UCLA. Clayton’s most impressive outings of the season came in the Big Ten Tournament. In the first round matchup against Minnesota, Clayton made the most of his 34 minutes on the court, putting up a career-high 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting and garnering four assists and rebounds each. He replicated that success in the subsequent tournament game against Wisconsin, posting 10 points, four rebounds and two steals.
Strengths
Videos like the one above depict Clayton at his best last season: someone who can act as the glue guy on offense and open up avenues for both himself and others to score. His shotmaking blossomed in the Big Ten Tournament and should provide a blueprint for how Clayton can blend his passing ability with his playmaking.
Clayton’s defense-first mentality also shone last season. While picking up steals in several games, his defensive effort on the perimeter proved dividends against some of the conference’s best shooters. In the game against Minnesota, Clayton helped stifle its starting guards to an absurd 5-of-23 from the field. His presence was felt not just in that game but throughout the season, as NU’s defensive efficiency ranking jumped from 63rd to 23rd in the country when Clayton entered the lineup. It’s clear that he played a huge part in that uptick, as his quick thinking and shot contesting was on display every night and made it difficult for shooters to find points. Given that he entered a Northwestern lineup down two of its top scorers in Leach and Barnhizer, Clayton’s defense was all the more imperative to help the ‘Cats stay in games and avoid falling into shootouts.
Clayton’s adaptability skills were also display last year, as he was thrust into a rotation despite little playing time or cohesion with the starters. This should transfer over to this season, as the ‘Cats welcome a plethora of transfers and freshman that will undoubtedly require a new sense of chemistry to be built. Clayton has proven he can find his place regardless of lineup shifts and who he’s paired with on the court.
Weaknesses
While his tournament games offers signs of improvement, Clayton’s overall shotmaking this season was relatively mediocre. 35% from the field and 28% from three won’t cut it in the Big Ten. While last season was an unusual circumstance, it’s difficult to justify a starting spot with those shooting numbers and averages under five points a game.
Clayton was criticized in his first year for being too passive with his shotmaking. While he certainly gained confidence as a sophomore starter, his play hasn’t been elevated enough to where he is necessarily considered an integral part of the rotation. His rebounding and assist numbers prove he’s made an impact, but not enough to compensate for minimal scoring.
Turnovers also proved to be an issue for Clayton last season, most notably in a four-turnover game against Oregon. Although this metric improved over the course of the season, him committing a turnover in six of his ten starts is something that plagued Clayton and contributed to his lack of scoring opportunities.
Expectations
Clayton deserves immense praise for prioritizing the team over himself last season, and Chris Collins is set to reward him this year with increased playing time from opening tip off. Clayton’s role as a mediator of the offense is bound to continue, and his defensive prowess will be relied on. Both are expected to remain stout, but with a full offseason under his belt, Clayton’s shooting is what most Wildcat fans will be evaluating closely. The tournament matchups provide the strongest glimpse into the player Clayton can be when he is shooting effectively and confidently, the latter being arguably more important. An improved stroke would significantly increase both his and the team’s chances of success.
Clayton’s commitment, resilience and versatility has already been proven. If his shots can find the net consistently, expect to see Clayton’s name splashed over the stat sheet this season.
