If there's a positive takeaway from the Sacramento Kings' horrendous 2025-2026 season, it was the breakout performances from their rookies. That included Nique Clifford, who found his NBA rhythm as the season progressed. Now, his sophomore season is about to hit, and Clifford has to avoid stagnation.
While it already feels like an eternity ago, Clifford was the Kings' first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He went 24th overall, which was a little lower than some mock drafts projected at the time. That worked out well for Sacramento as they managed to get a great small forward with huge potential.
Alongside fellow rookies Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell, Clifford made a real impression in the last several weeks of the season. The mostly rookie and sophomore crew got big court time after a litany of injuries to the starters, and won several late- season games. It was good for the culture.
That being said, Clifford had a harder time acclimating to the NBA pace than Raynaud and Cardwell. He definitely improved as the season went on and slowly became a real threat on the court. Keeping all of that in mind, Clifford has some work to do in his sophomore campaign to keep growing.
Clifford is perfectly positioned to break out in season two
The level of Clifford's game at his age and experience is impressive. Many have attributed this to his high basketball IQ, which allows him to process what is going on quickly and respond accordingly. He can read a defensive scheme with incredible speed. That will only get better with experience.
His main problems last year were getting more aggressive while adjusting to the pace of the NBA. It definitely tripped him up at times. Getting increased minutes due to injuries helped dramatically, but he still has a long way to go. Clifford needs more confidence in his game. Period.
Fans definitely saw this in his shooting. Clifford is an amazing spot-up shooter, particularly from three. The issue is getting him to actually take the shot. The aforementioned confidence issues often caused him to pass the ball along rather than take the shot. He cannot hesitate like that in the NBA.
Yes, time and repetition will help build confidence, but it can't make him be the man. He has to want it, and it honestly seems like he does. If Clifford continues with his current development arc and simply believes that he belongs in the league, he will be a key part of the Kings moving forward.
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