Nique Clifford says the second-year lesson in Sacramento is pretty simple: be the same player every night.
The Kings wing spent his rookie season figuring out the NBA on the fly, and after a year that included 75 appearances and 28 starts, he’s now focused on turning that experience into something steadier. Clifford spoke during Kings Media Day on Sactown Sports’ The Matt and Kayla Show and said the biggest thing for him now is consistency.
“It’s crazy how fast it flew by,” Clifford said. “Just being here in my second year, I’m truly blessed and just thankful to be healthy and going into my second year.”
His first season gave Sacramento a look at his versatility. Clifford averaged 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 0.9 steals in 25.1 minutes per game, while shooting 41.8% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range. But for Clifford, the box score only tells part of the story.
What he’s chasing now is a more dependable version of himself, built on work that started long before training camp.
“For me, I think just learning a lot, trying to study film, being in the weight room, getting a little bigger, stronger, making sure my body’s able to withstand 82 games, and just the consistency,” Clifford said. “I worked on my all-around game this offseason, and I just want to be more consistent as a player.”
He also made it clear that consistency isn’t just about what happens once the ball is tipped. For Clifford, it begins with how he shows up every day.
“I think it’s just your approach every single day when you step in the gym,” he said. “Your mindset, how you approach every day of practice. That’s where it starts.”
That mindset mattered a lot last season as he learned how to fit in around established veterans. Clifford said his first instinct was to keep things simple and stay useful, and that approach helped him settle in before his role expanded.
“I approached it as just coming in to be unselfish, do all the little things, and early on, it helped me be successful,” Clifford said. “Over the course of the season, my role grew.”
If there’s one area that could define his Year 2 jump, it’s defense. Clifford wants to become the kind of multi-position stopper Sacramento can count on, and he’s eager to match the identity Doug Christie is building as the Kings’ new head coach.
“I want to be a great defender. I want to be a guy that can defend multiple positions,” Clifford said. “I’m excited to just take on the challenges.”
After one season of learning the league, Clifford says he now has a better handle on what it takes to last. The goal in Year 2 is straightforward: become someone the Kings can trust every night.
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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 🡒]