This year’s draft has many talented upperclassmen who had a fantastic college season. One player who stands out from the group is Colorado State wing Nique Clifford, who helped his team make the NCAA Tournament as the first option. In particular, Clifford’s athleticism and versatile skill set will attract attention from teams that need a well-rounded wing. Let’s dive into an evaluation of Nique Clifford in this 2025 NBA Draft profile.
Nique Clifford 2025 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
Clifford began his collegiate career at the University of Colorado, playing his first three years with the Buffaloes. He took a jump in production and playing time between his freshman and sophomore years, however, it decreased in his junior year. It wasn’t until he transferred to Colorado State that he blossomed into a productive full-time starter in college. In his first season with the Rams, Clifford averaged 12.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.4 steals in 30.3 minutes per game. Furthermore, Clifford played the full 36 games of the season as the starter.
This past season, the 6-foot-6 wing took another jump in production, averaging 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.2 steals in 35.4 minutes per game. Additionally, Clifford shot an efficient 49.6% from the field, 37.7% from three, and 77.7% from the free throw line. Clifford took full control of the team as the main option and helped the Rams make the NCAA Tournament, where they were eliminated in the second round by Maryland. During his time with Colorado State, Clifford achieved a 2024-2025 All-MWC first-team selection and a 2023-2024 All-MWC third-team selection. Not only that, but he also achieved an MWC All-Defense selection, an All-MWC Tournament selection, and won the MWC Tournament MVP award this past season.
Strengths
The greatest strength of Clifford’s game is his sheer versatility. Firstly, Clifford is a capable three-level scorer who can play both on and off the ball. Notably, Clifford spent this past season getting on-ball reps as the primary offensive option for Colorado. With the ball, Clifford has demonstrated that he can create his own shot and be a threat anywhere on the court. Clifford has the size and athleticism to make powerful plays at the rim and is comfortable finishing through contact. Plus, he possesses excellent footwork, and Clifford uses it to effectively get to his spots. Clifford is also a solid passer and has developed as an on-ball playmaker this year. His on-ball playmaking is clearly demonstrated in Clifford’s passing ability in the pick-and-roll. He typically makes the right read and finds the open man.
Off the ball, Clifford has shown the ability to move well without the ball and provide off-ball offense. Specifically, Clifford is a smart cutter in the half-court and transition. Plus, Clifford can knock down threes as a spot-up shooter and has even shown flashes of movement shooting. Additionally, Clifford can move the ball well as more of a connective passer when he is not on the ball.
On defense, Clifford has the ideal size at 6-foot-6 to be a multi-positional defender. He is certainly capable of defending one through three. Clifford has a good feel for the game and excellent basketball IQ, which translates into his ability to be disruptive on defense. He has excellent anticipation for jumping passes and being a weakside shot-blocker. Clifford is also a strong rebounder for his size on the defensive end, averaging 8.1 defensive rebounds per game. Most importantly, Clifford is nothing less than a high-level competitor who plays hard on every possession.
Weaknesses
While Clifford has taken strides in improving his three-point shooting, he is still on the streaky side as a shooter. In particular, Clifford is prone to long dry spells from three, then hitting everything from beyond the arc elsewhere in the season. He will need to improve his consistency as a shooter. Additionally, Clifford can be pressured into bad mid-range shots or turnovers if he gets trapped when attacking the rim. Speaking of turnovers, Clifford does need to tighten his handle as well. There are questions about whether or not Clifford can translate his impact to the NBA level, considering he played in a weaker college conference. Also, Clifford is on the older side of prospects in this draft. Specifically, he is 23 years old, meaning his upside may be limited compared to younger prospects.
NBA Comparison
Considering Clifford’s versatile skill set, several players come to mind. One specific name is New York Knicks guard Josh Hart. Both players are elite rebounding guards who can provide tough defense and tertiary scoring next to stars. Another name is Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins, given that they both have well-rounded skill sets with similar builds.
2025 NBA Draft Projection
Featured image: © Tanya B. Fabian/For The Coloradoan / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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