Nets’ Nic Claxton ranked 58th-best player by The Ringer
Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton is ranked as the 58th-best player in the NBA, according to The Ringer‘s latest version of its top-125 players. Claxton is ranked just ahead of Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes and just behind Raptors wing OG Anunoby.
Claxton, the 31st pick of the 2019 NBA Draft out of Georgia, made a huge stride in his overall game in the 2022-23 season. Not only did he build on his already-impressive defensive profile, but he also showed that he worked on his offensive game in the summer as well.
Claxton achieved career-highs in almost every statistical category, including blocks per game (2.5, second in the league). Claxton, the son of former NBA player Charles Claxton, averaged 12.6 points per game which is almost four points higher than his previous career-high in PPG (8.7 in 2021-22).
The fact that Claxton is ranked in the same range as Barnes and Anunoby shows how much the Nets’ starting center has improved from last season. At this point, he has proven that he is a part of Brooklyn’s future no matter which direction the franchise decides to go this offseason. This is what The Ringer’s Michael Pina had to say about Claxton’s game:
“The Nets look completely different after a trade deadline that ended their superteam era. And with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving gone, a real case can be made for Nic Claxton as their new franchise tentpole. On a team that’s starless but still competitive, Claxton is a defensive anchor who switches screens, protects the rim, and makes scoring on Brooklyn’s basket a total nightmare.
But there’s more to Claxton than a Defensive Player of the Year case. His touch around the basket is ideal. His dribble handoff keepers have become a legitimate weapon. Claxton can finish through contact, create second-chance opportunities, and make quick reads in four-on-three situations.”
