Jul 12, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) dunks against the San Antonio Spurs in the fourth quarter of their game at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images Candice Ward-Imagn Images

ESPN Ranks Kings Rookie Ahead of Cooper Flagg

Originally posted on Sacramento Kings on SI
By Logan Struck | Last updated Jul 18, 2025 4:25 PM ET

The NBA Summer League is usually a time for lesser-known young talents to truly make a name for themselves, and the league saw plenty of that in Las Vegas over the past week. Of course, there was still a Cooper Flagg 31-point outburst that caught people's attention, but plenty of other rookies and second-year players showed out in Vegas.

With the semifinals set to start on Saturday, four undefeated teams will go at it for the Las Vegas crown, including the Sacramento Kings. The Kings went 4-0 through Summer League play, clinching their spot in the playoffs.

The Kings have been led by an impressive group of guys, but rookie guard Nique Clifford has been the true standout. Through four games, Clifford has averaged 18.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game with impressive 58.3/52.9/69.2 shooting splits.

Nique Clifford in Vegas:

19 PTS | 7 REB | 9 AST
19 PTS | 3 REB | 3 AST
19 PTS | 12 REB | 5 AST
17 PTS | 4 REB | 3 AST

Ready for his rookie season. pic.twitter.com/NLx62dbRic
— StatMuse (@statmuse) July 16, 2025

Clifford has been one of the best players at the Summer League, and ESPN's Kevin Pelton gave the Kings' rookie some high praise. Pelton shared his ranking of the "best rookies in Vegas," slotting Nique Clifford at number one, followed by Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg and Charlotte Hornets standout Liam McNeeley.

"The 23-year-old Clifford was among the most polished rookies in this year's class after five years of college experience, averaging 18.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists in Vegas. Given how much of Clifford's breakout as an upperclassman was related to shooting, it's encouraging to see him go 9-of-17 (53%) from the NBA 3-point line. It's not realistic to keep that up, but his savvy playmaking will be a strength so long as opponents respect his jumper," Pelton wrote about Nique Clifford.

It was always Nique Clifford

pic.twitter.com/r47aAAe6zM
— Tyler Rucker (@tyler_rucker) July 17, 2025

Clifford has been incredible through four games in Vegas, making things happen on both sides of the floor. Of course, Clifford has been incredible, but it likely shocks people to see him ranked ahead of the first-overall pick, Cooper Flagg.

Flagg played just two games in Vegas before being shut down and averaged 20.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game, but on poor 35.7/21.4/57.1 shooting splits. There is no question that Clifford has had a better Summer League than Flagg, but it is still a great sign that the new Kings' rookie is getting the respect that he deserves.

This article first appeared on Sacramento Kings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: