# Nique Clifford
**Nique Clifford** (full name Dominique Akai Clifford, born 2002) is an American professional basketball player for the [Sacramento Kings](https://www.edgepedia.org/sacramento-kings) of the NBA, drafted 24th overall in 2025 after a record-setting fifth-year season at [Colorado State University](https://www.edgepedia.org/colorado-state-university).[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cliffni01.html) • [2](https://apnews.com/article/315cf506494acafe615e1809531b5be4) His rights were traded from the [Oklahoma City Thunder](https://www.edgepedia.org/oklahoma-city-thunder) to Sacramento on draft night for a future first-round pick, and he debuted for the Kings on October 22, 2025.[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cliffni01.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2002, Colorado Springs, Colorado[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cliffni01.html) |
| Height / position | 6-6, 210 lb; guard-forward, shoots right-handed[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cliffni01.html) |
| Colleges | Colorado (three seasons), Colorado State (two seasons)[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cliffni01.html) |
| Draft | First round, 24th overall, 2025, by Oklahoma City; draft rights traded to Sacramento on June 25, 2025[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cliffni01.html) • [3](https://www.nba.com/team/1610612758/historic-roster) |
| Breakout season (2024-25) | 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 35.4 minutes per game; 50/38/78 shooting splits; Third-Team All-Mountain West[4](https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/nique-clifford) |
| CSU records | Program single-season scoring record of 681 points; first CSU player with 500 points, 300 rebounds, and 100 assists in a season[5](https://gculopes.com/documents/download/2026/1/2/GM14-Grand_Canyon.pdf) |
| NBA rookie season (2025-26) | 75 games, 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists per game on 41.8% shooting[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cliffni01.html) |
## Background
Clifford grew up in Colorado Springs and attended The Vanguard School, where he was named the Colorado Gatorade State Player of the Year in 2020, a two-time first-team All-State selection, and a four-star recruit ranked No. 92 overall nationally by 247Sports.[6](https://csurams.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/NIQUE-CLIFFORD/13384) He grew five inches between his sophomore and junior years of high school, from 6 feet to 6-foot-5, and his father Akai named him after his favorite NBA player, [Dominique Wilkins](https://www.edgepedia.org/dominique-wilkins).[4](https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/nique-clifford)
**College career.** Clifford committed to the University of Colorado and played three seasons there, appearing in 82 games with 50 starts and averaging 5.4 points and 3.6 rebounds in Boulder.[6](https://csurams.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/NIQUE-CLIFFORD/13384) He then transferred to Colorado State, where in his first season (2023-24) he started all 36 games, led the team with 7.6 rebounds per game, and earned Third-Team All-Mountain West honors, including a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double in the NCAA First Four win over Virginia.[6](https://csurams.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/NIQUE-CLIFFORD/13384)
## Breakout senior season
As a fifth-year senior in 2024-25, Clifford averaged 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 35.4 minutes per game with 50/38/78 shooting splits, earning Third-Team All-Mountain West recognition, the Mountain West Tournament MVP award, and All-Mountain West Defensive Team selection.[4](https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/nique-clifford) • [7](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/nique-clifford-1.html) He ranked third in the country in defensive rebounds per game at 8.1.[4](https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/nique-clifford)
The season carried Colorado State to its first conference tournament title in 22 years and a 12 seed in the NCAA tournament with a 25-9 record entering March Madness.[8](https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2025/03/21/guide-csu-rams-colorado-state-march-madness) Clifford led the Rams to a first-round upset of fifth-seeded Memphis, and Colorado State nearly beat Maryland in the second round before [Derik Queen](https://www.edgepedia.org/derik-queen) sank a game-winning buzzer-beater.[4](https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/nique-clifford) His 681 points set the program's single-season scoring record, and he became the first player in Colorado State men's basketball history with a season of 500 points, 300 rebounds, and 100 assists.[5](https://gculopes.com/documents/download/2026/1/2/GM14-Grand_Canyon.pdf)
## Scouting profile and draft
Scouts described Clifford as a well-rounded wing who can play with or without the ball, rebounds and passes well for his position, and defends the perimeter; at 23 on draft night he was among the oldest players in the 2025 class, a profile that lowered perceived upside while raising his floor as an NBA-ready contributor.[9](https://www.si.com/nba/jazz/news/utah-jazz-2025-nba-draft-profile-nique-clifford) • [10](https://www.si.com/nba/draft/newsfeed/where-will-colorado-state-s-nique-clifford-be-drafted) NBA.com's RotoWire profile noted he could contribute immediately but had little time to develop, and listed [Jalen Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/jalen-williams) and Ron Holland as comparisons sized closer to Clifford than [Kyle Kuzma](https://www.edgepedia.org/kyle-kuzma) or [Paul George](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-george).[4](https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/nique-clifford)
The Oklahoma City Thunder selected him 24th overall and traded his draft rights to Sacramento for a future first-round pick, one of several mid-round trades on the draft's first night.[2](https://apnews.com/article/315cf506494acafe615e1809531b5be4) • [3](https://www.nba.com/team/1610612758/historic-roster) He wears number 10 for the Kings.[11](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/kings.pdf)
## NBA career
Clifford appeared in 75 games as a rookie in 2025-26, averaging 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 25.1 minutes per game, with shooting splits of 41.8% from the field, 33.3% from three, and 72.2% from the free-throw line.[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cliffni01.html) • [11](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/kings.pdf)
## References
1. [Nique Clifford Stats, Basketball-Reference](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cliffni01.html)
2. [Cooper Flagg is the new Maine man for the Mavericks as the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/315cf506494acafe615e1809531b5be4)
3. [Sacramento Kings Team Info and Roster, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/team/1610612758/historic-roster)
4. [NBA 2025 Draft Prospects: Nique Clifford, NBA.com (RotoWire profile)](https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/nique-clifford)
5. [2025-26 Colorado State Men's Basketball Game Notes](https://gculopes.com/documents/download/2026/1/2/GM14-Grand_Canyon.pdf)
6. [Nique Clifford, Colorado State Athletics roster](https://csurams.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/NIQUE-CLIFFORD/13384)
7. [Nique Clifford College Stats, Sports-Reference](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/nique-clifford-1.html)
8. [A casual fan's guide to the CSU Rams in March Madness, Axios Denver](https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2025/03/21/guide-csu-rams-colorado-state-march-madness)
9. [Utah Jazz 2025 NBA Draft Profile: Nique Clifford, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/nba/jazz/news/utah-jazz-2025-nba-draft-profile-nique-clifford)
10. [Where Will Colorado State's Nique Clifford be Drafted?, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/nba/draft/newsfeed/where-will-colorado-state-s-nique-clifford-be-drafted)
11. [Sacramento Kings 2025-26 Game Notes, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/kings.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Basketball and court team sports › Basketball players and coaches (biographies) › Current NBA players › Shooting guards › Young and recently drafted guards*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license