Walter Clayton Jr. was a player the Memphis Grizzlies had on their radar last year out of Florida, and the organization was ecstatic to have the chance to add him to the roster.

The Grizzlies acquired Clayton, along with Taylor Hendricks, from the Utah Jazz on Feb. 3 in the eight-player deal involving franchise mainstay Jaren Jackson Jr. The group viewed Clayton as a significant part of that deal as it looked to retool at the trade deadline.

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That is because Clayton emerged as one of the top players in the country last season, leading the Gators to their third national title. The front office was impressed with his skill set and believes he can affect games at a high level, based on his ability and potential on the court.

“Walter was somebody that we already looked at last year in the draft,” coach Tuomas Iisalo said this week. “We’re very positive on him. His ability to get to areas on the court where he can create for himself and for others is pretty unique. He leverages good scoring skills with vision, and he has that burst or change of pace that the best offensive players have. … Defensively, he is a very smart player and understands the concepts.”

Clayton is averaging 8.6 points, 6.5 assists, two rebounds and 1.3 steals while shooting 34.4% from the field in 11 appearances with the Grizzlies, including two starts. He has missed four games since joining the team, including a loss against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.

The 18th overall pick has already made a bit of history with the team after a 14-assist effort on March 1, which tied teammate Ja Morant for the single-game assist record by a rookie. His 14 assists are the most by a first-year player in a game this season.

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With the Grizzlies looking ahead to next season, Clayton should have the opportunity to log extended minutes over their remaining 18 games once he is cleared from his ankle injury. The team is eager to watch his continued development this year and beyond.

Note: Sharif Phillips-Keaton of Nets Wire contributed to this story

This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Grizzlies news: Tuomas Iisalo praises unique skill of Walter Clayton