3 goals for Nets’ Noah Clowney heading into training camp
Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney is a player with a lot of promise after being selected by the Nets with the 21st overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft out of Alabama. Listed at 6-foot-10 and 210 pounds, Clowney is thin for the frontcourt, but his length and athleticism help make up for that.
Beyond that, the interesting thing about Clowney is how high his ceiling is based on his unique profile. One of the most coveted player archetypes in the league today is a big man who can defend the rim while also being able to play on the perimeter, offensively and defensively.
As of right now, Clowney appears to be destined to be that kind of player once he builds up his strength and works on his timing when it comes to certain actions. With training camp less than a week away from now, here are three goals for Clowney to accomplish:
Improve Playing Defense Without Fouling
While Clowney projects to be the kind of big man that can affect the game on both ends of the floor, he has to find a way to stay on it if he wants to reach his potential. Clowney is further along on the defensive end than he is on the offensive end, but if this past summer league is any indication, he has to be more disciplined on defense.
Clowney did admit that he was getting used to the faster speed of the NBA and when a player has to get used to big league rotations as well as the increased pace, it’s understandable that staying out of foul trouble is hard. Clowney will have training camp and the G League to work on that portion of his game.
Work On Offensive Consistency
Clowney is only 19 years old so he will have plenty of time of fill into his body and work on his game. One of those areas for him to work on would be his consistency on the offensive end.
With the way that NBA defenses will be keying in on players like Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, when Clowney gets some minutes at the NBA level, he will have to work on being ready to shoot the shots that come to him. That includes getting dump-offs at the rim or getting shots wide-open at the three-point line.
Get To The Free-Throw Line
Clowney profiles as a stretch-big so driving to the rim and posting up really aren’t massive parts of his game right now. However, an easy way to get yourself in a rhythm on offense, similar to the second goal, is getting to the free-throw line. Clowney should be involved in a good amount of pick-and-rolls and most likely, he will be the one that the defense leaves open.
If that is the case, Clowney has to be able to capitalize in some way to make himself more effective on the court. If his three-point shot is lacking, he can always rely on finishing at the rim or getting easy points from the charity stripe by being aggressive around the basket.
