It’s an annual tradition for certain productive upperclassmen to fly under the radar despite their college success. Nique Clifford fits that description in 2025, profiling as one of the draft’s better all-around wing bets. Clifford improved nearly every offensive facet of his game in 2024-25, but how much of that can he translate to the NBA level?
- Team: Colorado State
- Height: 6’5
- Weight: 202
- Wingspan: 6’8
- Age: 23.4 (February 9, 2002)
Nique Clifford— Wing, Colorado State (23.4 years old)
NBA Comparison: Mikal Bridges, Josh Richardson
Though he’s a bit smaller than Bridges, Clifford’s versatility and athletic tools could see him filling a variety of different roles throughout his NBA career. His excellent athleticism and improved skill could let him create on the ball in the pros more than some scouts expect. We could see his career follow a path similar to Josh Richardson, finding a home as a productive role player on the wing.
Strengths
- Incredibly light feet, fluid hips and long arms let him defend several positions on the ball
- Disruptive off-ball defender with the explosive twitch and instincts to generate turnovers
- Has developed into an efficient volume shooter from beyond and inside the arc, both on and off-ball
- Explosive driver who is a handful to stop once he gets going downhill, above the rim finisher
- Versatile, manipulative passer with pick-and-roll handling potential
Weaknesses
- Can force ill-advised shots on the ball when he can’t create separation
- Ball control against pressure can be shaky
- Sometimes falls asleep defending off-ball, allowing backdoors and open threes
- Didn’t begin to dominate college basketball until his age 22/23 seasons
Offensive role: Secondary Creator/Floor Space
Defensive role: Versatile On-Ball Defender/Off-Ball Disruptor
2025 NBA Draft Projection: Round 1, Pick 10-15
Despite Clifford’s age, we shouldn’t overlook his polished NBA skillset. He’s improved year over year and could continue to grow his offensive arsenal, adding more off-dribble creation to his toolkit. If not, Clifford should have no trouble sliding back into a 3-and-D role, focusing on spot-up creation and defending for a winning, competitive team.
