Nets' Noah Clowney Discusses Offensive Improvements

The Brooklyn Nets selected Noah Clowney as the No. 21 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, expecting him to largely play at the power forward position but sometimes handle minutes at center.

However, Nets head coach has been playing Clowney at the small forward position for many stretches, slotting in next to either Nic Claxton or Day'Ron Sharpe at center while Danny Wolf handles the power forward position.

The Alabama product has put on a decent amount of muscle since first coming into the league and has looked very fluid on drives to the rim, which has also helped him get to the free-throw line more often. He's also converting the 3-point shot at a career-best clip, which is exactly what you want to see from a modern NBA big man.

"Me and the people I'm training with, we just knew after last season, when I was healthy and I was shooting the ball well, team start closing out and running me off," Clowney said.

"So, it was like, what's the next step? You gotta be able to put the ball on the floor. My goal was to become a threat in transition, not trying to play one-on-one in the half-court still, but, in transition, now you got to get back, you got to load up. That makes everything easy for everybody else. Mainly, I was getting comfortable, [improving] my handle, finishing around the rim."

Claxton's playmaking skills have taken a huge leap this season, whether he pushes the ball on the break, kicks it to the corner when defenders collapse inside, or executing dribble hand off actions.

Clowney thrives in each scenario, as he's gotten great at exploding to the rim with just a few strides before being met with resistance or positioning himself behind the arc for clean looks.

Defensively, Clowney's 6-foot-10, 210-pound frame sometimes makes him vulnerable against bulkier opponents, but his size also helps him contest shots at the rim, which pairs nicely with Claxton.

There is still some room for improvement on both sides of the floor for Clowney but the signs of growth he's shown this season have been impressive.

If Clowney continues to develop at this rate, there's a solid chance he can become a vital part of the next Nets team that could compete for a championship. At just 21 years old, Clowney has the benefit of having time on his side.