A VERSATILE prospect who can fill a number of roles on the court, Nique Clifford will be an extremely intriguing option for teams at the 2025 NBA Draft later this year in June.

A six-foot-six wing who essentially does it all, Clifford displayed plenty of toughness throughout his time with Colorado State in the NCAA this season, and can impact the game on both ends of the floor at a high rate.

Although he will be 24 later this season, and he did not get the chance to test his skills against high quality teams this season, Clifford defended multiple positions, crashed the glass, impacted as a secondary playmaker and showed skills as a spot up shooter, making him well worth the gamble at NBA level.

For Colorado State in the 2024/25 season, Clifford averaged 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks on 49.6 per cent shooting from the field in a really impressive campaign.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will run through some of the clearest comparisons to already established NBA talents, with Clifford playing extremely similar to some key pieces on successful teams of late.

Caleb Martin – Dallas Mavericks

A tremendous story of resilience despite going undrafted, Martin has forged a career as a player who can fit onto any roster with his versatile skillset, and carries many of the same traits as Clifford. After missing out on selection in the 2019 NBA Draft, he eventually joined the Charlotte Hornets with his twin brother Cody, but it was with the Miami Heat where he really made a name for himself. Martin was instrumental in the Heat’s remarkable run to the Finals in 2023, where they came from the eighth seed to upset some big teams and reach the decisive series. He stepped up with his ability to knock down shots from three, defend four positions and impact as a rebounder as well, all qualities Clifford carries too, so he will be hoping to have just as much of an impact in the NBA.

Khris Middleton – Washington Wizards

One of the best second options of the past 10 years, Middleton is one of the most underrated players of the modern era, and the eye test when watching Clifford suggests the two look very similar in terms of playing style. After the Detroit Pistons selected him with the 39th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Middleton stepped up into stardom as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, winning a championship with the team and becoming a three-time All Star in the process, also winning a gold medal at the 2021 Olympic Games. It is easy to see a lot of Middleton’s game when Clifford is at his best offensively, with the two players taking a lot of the same shots and looking very smooth with ball in hand, which bodes well for the youngster given how well the former has played throughout his 13-year career.

Josh Hart – New York Knicks

A heart and soul player for any team he suits up for, Hart has been able to cement himself as an extremely important piece in the NBA, excelling in multiple facets of the game. The final pick in the first round of the 2017 draft, Hart has played for four different teams during his tenure in the NBA, but seems to have found a home on an exciting Knicks team that is consistently competing. His one-wood is his ability to impact the game in just about every way possible, and coming up with some big plays built on the back of effort. Whether it is crashing the boards, defending the best player, knocking down triples off the catch or finding his teammates with excellent passes, Hart can simply do it all, and Clifford has a similar player profile, so he will be hoping to have just as much of an impact when he reaches the NBA in the coming months.