The San Antonio Spurs rose up six spots in the NBA Draft Lottery, landing the No. 2 overall pick. The Spurs also possess the No. 14 overall pick at the end of the lottery, potentially setting them up for two great pieces for the future.
One player that stands out as a plug-and-play wing is Colorado State swingman Nique Clifford. Clifford is coming off his fifth collegiate season, and his second with Colorado State. Clifford spent the first three seasons of his college career with Colorado.
Texas may be a change of pace from Colorado for the Colorado Springs native, but he'd be a great addition to the Spurs' roster.
In his fifth season, Clifford averaged 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from three-point range. Clifford was a two-time All-Mountain West selection, earning Mountain West All-Defense honors.
Clifford was also named the Mountain West Tournament MVP, averaging 25.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.0 steals per game, shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from deep.
Clifford is a long, athletic wing with defensive versatility and an all-around offensive game. Clifford stands at 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, with functional strength that will allow him to handle NBA physicality and contact.
Offensively, Clifford has demonstrated ability to create with the ball in his hands with a versatile bag of one-on-one moves and a confident pull-up jump shot. He also has great playmaking ability for a secondary ball handler, as demonstrated by his 4.4 assists per game, many of which came as a pick-and-roll ball handler.
Defensively, he moves his feet well and can guard 1-3 effectively, and has the size to handle some fours. He makes great decisions defensively away from the ball, he's very active in making rotations and understands how to contest without fouling.
As an older draft prospect, there are some questions about how high his ceiling truly is, but he is proficient in so many skills already at 23 years old, he can be an instant contributor and a plug-and-play option all over the floor.
His jumpshot improved drastically in college, but a lot of his makes came off the dribble. He needs to improve as a spot-up shooter to become a legitimate floor spacer. He does get flustered by pressure and traps with the ball in his hands, likely limiting him to being a secondary playmaker.
Clifford was one of the best rebounding wings in the country, another skill he'll bring to the table at the next level. He was second in the Mountain West this past season with his 9.6 rebounds per game, also being good enough for the 14th-best mark in Division I.
Clifford is a polished, NBA-ready wing who can make an impact as a versatile defender and secondary playmaker. He'll bring shotmaking and rebounding to the table as a rookie, while being an active defender who can fly all over the floor.