New Kings Rookie Nique Clifford's Honest Statement After 2025 NBA Draft

Clifford just finished a senior season at CSU that saw him contribute across the board, averaging almost 19 points while putting up over 9 rebounds and 4 assists per game. The 6-foot-5 guard also showed excellent shooting ability, with a 49.6% mark from the field and 37.7% from three-point range. Clifford is also widely regarded as a plus defender with good length and athleticism on the wing.

After the first round of the draft concluded, Clifford conducted a press conference via Zoom with Sacramento media members. Clifford was informed that one of his player comparisons is his new head coach, Doug Christie. The newest King acknowledged that he had heard the comparison, but he needs to watch more film and is excited to learn from Christie.

Clifford spoke about how his childhood idol was Kobe Bryant and the fact that he was selected at Number 24, as well as Clifford’s choice of a purple suit on a night he was drafted by a team with purple as their primary color, all felt like fate and he ended up exactly where he was supposed to be. In a nod to Sacramento fans, Clifford said, “I wanna light that beam a lot of times”, and also indicated that he is somebody who is “going to be interactive with the fans and the community”.

When asked how he felt about the Kings trading up to select him and giving up future assets to do so, Clifford had an answer that fans will certainly love

“So much love, man. So much love, and I’ve got the ultimate respect and appreciation for them to even consider doing that, because that just shows the belief they have in me and it just makes me want to give everything I’ve got to the organization,” Clifford said. “I’m going to spend so much time in that gym and just try to perfect my craft and put on the best performance every night, being a consistent dude for the team.”

If there is one thing Sacramento is in desperate need of, it’s consistent dudes. Any player who wants to go out every night and get better as a player and compete at a high level is a welcome addition to this roster. Scott Perry may have delivered a new fan favorite and solid contributor with his first official move as general manager.