Kings rookie Nique Clifford on adjusting to life in Sacramento, preparing for Summer League

Kings rookie Nique Clifford on adjusting to life in Sacramento, preparing for Summer League

Uh, and I was on the black team, so we were winning. So, I can’t can’t be mad about it. But good first day. Everybody was happy to be here and just excited to get get to work. Do you know everyone’s name yet? Yeah, I’ve learned everybody’s name. It’s a lot of new faces, but uh excited to play with all the new guys, get to learn their games. Who was on your squad? Uh, Devin. Uh, who else? There was a There It There’s five of us, but I’m not going to go over it right now. I got you. But you know everybody Yeah, I know everybody most out here today. Uh, honestly, we were we were winning. I think our team impressing the most. We were just playing together and just having fun. So, I thought it was a good first day. What’s kind of the messaging that the staff’s been giving you of what they want to see from you and just the early steps of this process? Just playing the game the right way, being making making a winning impact. I’d say defending, rebounding, doing the things I was doing in college. um and just making making easy plays, keeping the game simple. So, um that’s kind of what I’m coming in here to do and have done that since college. So, want to carry that over. What kind of welcome site is it to see Isaiah Stewart there? Uh Steven got up earlier. No, it’s all good. Lot of lot of names, bro. Uh it’s really cool. Full circle. We’re playing together again. I’ve known him since high school. Uh they him and David Rody kind of recruited me. They were my hosts on my visit out of high school. Didn’t play a year with them. So, it’s been full circle and it’s super cool to be here with him together. Uh that was my guy in college, my last year before last. So, super cool and glad that he’s here. What’ you see from uh like Devin today in terms of being, you know, kind of a primary ball handler, playmaker. Uh Deon’s high level, man. He can score the ball, plays the right way, and uh he’s going to be really good for us. I’m excited to play with him. He’s also a Colorado dude uh that I’ve known for a while. So, uh, glad to be teammates with him. Now, I imagine you, uh, you’ve seen your share of summer league over the years growing up in this game and and waiting for your opportunity. How exciting is it or whatever. What are you feeling now as you get ready to head to Vegas and participate? Yeah, man. I’m pumped. I’m pumped to just compete against the best of the best. You know, the environment, atmosphere is just going to be crazy. All the NBA GMs, organizations, everyone’s going to be there. So, it’s just a cool cool environment, like I said, to just be a part of. and go against the best every night. So, it’s going to be a lot of fun. Is there anything you do where you even we all talk about how your game translates to next level asked you, but like is there anything that you might even have curiosity about in terms of, you know, how it translates and and kind of, you know, at the NBA level for you? Yeah, I mean, you really don’t know what you don’t know until it actually happens. So, um you know, I probably won’t know that until my first official NBA game cuz summer league you still playing against a lot of college dudes who maybe I was playing last year or um dudes who’s been in the league maybe two or three years, but when you play the real like this who’s been in it for 10, 15 years, it might be a little different because they know a lot more than you probably know. So, I probably won’t know that until my first official game. But, you know, I’m excited to start that journey and get to meet all my teammates and just learn from those guys cuz they’ve been through it. Feel a little bit more acclimated around here. You was at the San Francisco A’s game. We ain’t got to talk about it. I’m not going to talk about We can leave a pitch to the side. We going to race. I’m going leave that to the side, but I’m just saying it’s hard to get acclimated to, you know, the surroundings. Yeah, I’m starting to figure my figure my way around here. I figured out how to get to the locker room. So, that that’s always a good first step. uh trying to find a place to live. So, I’m settling down a little bit and getting more comfortable. But everybody been super welcoming and helping me helping me out. I’d imagine you’ve had a lot of like practice reps in general with it, but is there any adjustment when you’re coming out here and it’s like NBA line that you’re consistently working with now? Yeah. And I’ve talked about that like it is a far it’s farther than college. So, obviously it’s a little adjustment, but naturally I’ll shoot that shot in college just shooting deep. So, like I’m used to shooting it, but it’s still an adjustment being consistent from that. And I know that’s something that I need to continue to work on and get better at. Cool. Thanks, guys.

Sacramento Kings rookie Nique Clifford spoke with reporters Monday afternoon following their first 2025 Summer League practice.

He discussed getting acclimated to the city, how he’s been preparing for his NBA (Summer League) debut, and more.

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