The Sacramento Kings have plenty of young backcourt talent, and Nique Clifford sits right in the middle of that conversation heading into 2026.
Clifford is entering his second season with a chance to make a real leap. Sacramento has reasons to be encouraged by what he already showed as a rookie, and his background suggests there’s still more coming.
His college path was long and productive. Clifford spent three seasons with the Colorado Buffaloes before finishing with two seasons at Colorado State.
Across that stretch, he put together a steady all-around line: 10.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.6 blocks and 0.9 steals per game. He also shot 46.9 percent from the field, 36.4 percent from three and 72.4 percent from the free-throw line.
That production matched the type of player he was. Clifford showed he could score at different levels, and his athleticism gave him value on the defensive end as well.
After college, Clifford entered the 2025 NBA Draft and went in the first round at No. 24 overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder. His draft rights were then sent to Sacramento in exchange for a protected 2027 first-round pick.
The Kings clearly believed in the fit.
Clifford’s rookie season backed that up in solid fashion. He averaged 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.3 blocks and 0.9 steals per game while shooting 41.8 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from deep and 72.2 percent at the line.
He also got thrown into bigger responsibilities when injuries hit the roster, including Zach LaVine’s absence. Clifford appeared in 75 games and started 25 of them, giving him a meaningful dose of experience right away.
Now the setup changes. LaVine is healthy and back in the starting lineup, which should push Clifford into a bench role. At 6-5 and 175 pounds, he has the size to handle point guard, shooting guard and small forward duties, leaving Doug Christie with some flexibility in how he uses him.
In Other News...
Kings Media Day Took An Awkward Turn The Team Can't Ignore
Media day is supposed to be a clean reset, a chance for the Kings to introduce the new season with a little polish and a lot of optimism. Instead, Sacramentos gathering ended up producing the kind of off-camera moment teams hate, with reporters caught on a hot mic making unprofessional comments about Ben Simmons and Zach LaVine, two players the Kings have every reason to put front and center as they try to reshape the conversation around this roster.
The awkwardness lands differently because it is not happening in a vacuum. Sacramento signed Simmons to a one-year deal and brought LaVine in via trade in February 2025, so the franchise has already invested real attention in how both players are received and discussed. It also echoes the recent hot-mic episode in Toronto involving Scottie Barnes and Jonathan Mogbo, which only makes this look less like a one-off slip and more like the sort of around-the-team distraction organizations would rather not keep revisiting. [Read more 🡒]
Chris Webbers Return Brings Something This Kings Team Has Needed
Chris Webbers presence at Kings practice this week adds a little extra weight to a training camp that already has a different feel under Doug Christie. Invited by general manager Scott Perry, the former Sacramento star is expected to remain around the team for the rest of the week, a timely reminder of the franchises most successful era and the standard the organization is trying to reclaim.
Christie has made accountability and higher expectations a priority as the Kings work to move past a rough previous season. With young players needing reps and veterans needing to help steady the group, having a figure like Webber around the building gives Sacramento another link to what winning here once looked like, and perhaps a nudge toward what it needs to become again. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Media Day Controversy Has Fans Waiting For Fallout
Sacramentos media day was supposed to set the tone for a new season, but instead it became a bigger talking point for everything around the Kings than the team itself. A leaked audio recording from the event captured reporter Sara Hodges making disparaging remarks about Ben Simmons and Zach LaVine, and the clip spread quickly across social media, turning a routine day on the calendar into a public relations headache.
The reaction did not stop with fans, either, as former NBA player Royce White also weighed in and added more fuel to the discussion. For now, though, the most notable part of the story is the silence around it, with neither the Kings nor Hodges publicly addressing what was said as the fallout continues to simmer. [Read more 🡒]