Fg   3pt   Ft

Point Guard – Walter Clayton Jr Avg: 22.3 pts 3.3 ast  47.4/43.5/91.3

There is not much to say about Walter Clayton Jr that hasn’t already been stated throughout the tournament. The run he took Florida on to the National Championship will go down as a historic personal performance. He was quite simply the best player on the team that won the tournament, and it would be hard to argue against him being the best player in the tournament as a whole. Aside from the first three quarters of the Houston game, Clayton was automatic, scoring with ease. Some of the shots he was hitting were reminiscent of a certain Stephen Curry at Davidson. Florida played in a lot of close games throughout the tournament and Clayton stepped up every time in the clutch, whether it was a step back three, a dribble drive, or getting to the foul line. I think NBA scouts should be higher on him than they are because he has the ability to put a team on his back and perform when it is most necessary, which are rare and valuable traits in professional sports.

                                                                                                                          Fg   3pt   Ft

Shooting Guard – LJ Cryer Avg: 18.7 pts 3.2 ast 1.2 stl   39.3/43.4/82.6

We all knew that Houston’s defense was impenetrable, and the only thing that could hold them back from a title push would be their offensive firepower. Fortunately for them, their senior guard LJ Cryer supplied that for the Cougars and then some. Simply put, they would have lost to Gonzaga in the Round of 32 if it weren’t for Cryer. Time and time again, the Zags kept trying to mount a comeback, but their efforts would be cut short by a made contested 3 ball from Cryer. He dropped 30 in that game and scored 15+ in four of his other five. Defensively, he also embodied the Houston mentality, playing in a tough-nosed manner while averaging over a steal a game. Similar to Clayton, I believe the LJ Cryer deserves a shot at the next level, even though scouts will diminish his stock due to being undersized for the modern-day NBA. 

                                                                                                                   Fg   3pt    Ft

Foward/Guard – Alijah Martin Avg: 13.8 pts 4.0 reb  43.5/34.5/86.4

Someone off this National Champion Florida roster, not named Walter Clayton, had to make the All Tournament Team. My pick is Alijah Martin. He is truly the heart and soul of this Gator squad, and I do not see them making this run without him. While his stats and splits don’t jump off the page at you, again, it’s his leadership and energy he brings to the game that solidifies his importance. Only a few forwards in college ball can drive towards the basket and finish through contact like Martin. Martin was also the first-ever player to play in multiple final fours for different teams, as he previously was on that Florida Atlantic team that made a Cinderella run in 2023.

                                                                                                                                      Fg   3pt    Ft

Forward – Cooper Flagg Avg: 21.0 pts 7.6 reb 5.0 ast 2.0 blks  44.2/50.0/90.3

He is the best player in college basketball. For years at this point, Cooper Flagg has been all over sports media, being touted as the next generational talent. The guy reclassified up a year to commit and play for Duke as a 17-year-old and still set the college basketball world on fire. He won AP and Naismith player of the year and looked as though he was going to lead Duke to another title. Unfortunately, they crumpled at the end of their final four game against Houston, despite a 27-point performance from Flagg. Throughout the tournament, he did it all, averaging 21 points and 5 assists on the offensive front while also being a defensive monster, averaging 2 blocks per game. Flagg will be just fine, though, as his future ceiling in basketball is seemingly limitless, being the consensus number 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft. Nevertheless as a college basketball fan, it would be great to see him return to the Blue Devils in hopes of leading them to a title in 2026.

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Center – Johni Broome Avg: 16.8 pts 12.0 reb 1.4 stl   48.6/21.4/46.4

The center position was the hardest position for me to pick due to an unusual lack of star big men on the final four teams. This year, there was not a Zach Edey, Donovan Clingan, or Adama Sanogo that flat-out dominated the competition on both sides of the ball. Most of the big men we saw this year primarily contributed defensively, with the likes of J’Wan Roberts, Reuben Chinyelu, and Khaman Maluach. So the spot pretty much had to go to Auburn’s star center Johni Broome. While his tournament was slightly underwhelming by his standards, he still led his team to the final four while easily averaging a double-double. He played out of his mind against Michigan State in their Elite Eight matchup with 25 points and 14 rebounds. In that game, he also produced a memorable moment for Auburn fans as after what looked like a game-ending injury to his elbow and ankle, he splashed in a three after returning from the locker room. He showcased his elite post work and court vision throughout the whole tournament, and when he was on the court, he seemed to make the game easier for his teammates. For as good as Broome is, though, if he wants to make it in the NBA, he will need to greatly improve his shooting efficiency.