Kings rookie Nique Clifford reflects on being named after Hall of Fame player originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Nique Clifford was meant to be an NBA player.
From his first word as a baby to the inspiration behind his name, the evidence proves the Kings rookie guard/forward was born to ball.
In a conversation with NBC Sports California’s Morgan Ragan on “Kings Central,” Clifford, the No. 24 overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, shared how his parents named him after a Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer.
“He wanted to clear it up: his favorite player was Magic Johnson, but Dominique Wilkins was his second favorite,” Clifford revealed to Ragan.
“They’re 1A and 1B, but Wilkins was a high-level talent.”
That he was.
Wilkins, who was Clifford’s dad’s basketball idol, earned the nickname “Human Highlight Reel” for head-turning dunks across 15 NBA seasons from 1982-99.
In addition, Wilkins won two NBA Slam Dunk Contests and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Clifford, while teasing his dad along the way, appreciates being named after one of the game’s greats.
“He was explosive, a fun player to watch,” Clifford added. “My dad loved his game and felt like he “played” similar to him back in the day.
“I haven’t seen the film, so I have to see it for myself. I give him crap, but it’s a great person to be named after. He’s a true legend.”
The 6-foot-5, 202-pound rookie averaged 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.6 steals in 35.4 minutes per game last season at Colorado State.
Certainly, there’s potential for him to have a successful professional career, but if he wants to live up to the name, the high-flying moves will have to be a constant.
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Kings rookie Nique Clifford reflects on being named after Hall of Fame player
Nique Clifford was meant to be an NBA player.
From his first word as a baby to the inspiration behind his name, the evidence proves the Kings rookie guard/forward was born to ball.
In a conversation with NBC Sports California’s Morgan Ragan on “Kings Central,” Clifford, the No. 24 overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, shared how his parents named him after a Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer.
SIGN UP HERE “He wanted to clear it up: his favorite player was Magic Johnson, but Dominique Wilkins was his second favorite,” Clifford revealed to Ragan.
“They’re 1A and 1B, but Wilkins was a high-level talent.”
That he was.
Wilkins, who was Clifford’s dad’s basketball idol, earned the nickname “Human Highlight Reel” for head-turning dunks across 15 NBA seasons from 1982-99.
NBA
In addition, Wilkins won two NBA Slam Dunk Contests and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Clifford, while teasing his dad along the way, appreciates being named after one of the game’s greats.
“He was explosive, a fun player to watch,” Clifford added. “My dad loved his game and felt like he “played” similar to him back in the day.
“I haven’t seen the film, so I have to see it for myself. I give him crap, but it’s a great person to be named after. He’s a true legend.”
The 6-foot-5, 202-pound rookie averaged 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.6 steals in 35.4 minutes per game last season at Colorado State.
Certainly, there’s potential for him to have a successful professional career, but if he wants to live up to the name, the high-flying moves will have to be a constant.
