Florida Star Walter Clayton Jr. Consoles Houston Player After Shocking End of NCAA Men’s Championship

Moments after winning the national championship, Florida Gators star Walter Clayton Jr. paused his celebrations and took time to hug an inconsolable Houston Cougars player.

Cameras caught the Florida guard stepping away from his teammates and leaning over Cougars guard Emanuel Sharp, who had his head inside his jersey, overcome by the game’s shocking ending. Clayton said a few words to the Cougars star before walking away to join the festivities on the court.

With Houston down by two and with a chance to either tie the game and send it to overtime or win with a 3, the sharpshooter went cold, unfortunately dribbling the ball and leaving his feet — meaning that he could not pick it up again and attempt a shot.

The Gators recovered the ball as time expired, and the team snagged its third title in school history, winning the game, 65-63.

At a post-game press conference, Houston coach Kelvin Sampson broke down what happened in the game’s waning seconds.

“At the end, you’ve gotta get a shot,” Sampson told reporters. “You’ve gotta do better than that.”

He added about Sharp’s effort: “He probably should have shot-faked that, Both those guys, [Gators guard Will] Richard and [Gators guard Alijah] Martin, both really good defensively. Clayton made a great play on that. But that’s why you’ve got to shot-fake and get in the paint.”

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In the end, Clayton, 22, was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, despite a less-than-exceptional title game output of 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

Though he had kind words for his on-the-court foe, Clayton seemed to take issue with one of his own after the game.

In a hilarious moment in which he posed with girlfriend Tatiyana Burney and their one-year-old daughter Leilani, Gators mascot Albert was rebuffed by the player.

In two separate instances, Clayton told the reptile to “get out” of their shot as he and his family took photos to remember the big moment.