Sacramento Kings guard Nique Clifford talks about wanting to be a versatile defender for the Kings in 2026.
The Sacramento Kings are now a few days into training camp and have been able to get some solid work in, hoping to take a step forward from where they were a season ago, and in particular on the defensive end.
On that note, second-year guard Nique Clifford joined Sactown Sports 1140 and talked about his desire to be a great defender as well as providing versatility on the defensive end.
"I want to be a great defender. I want to be a guy that can defend multiple positions, and I've been able to do it in the past. The NBA is a different level, and I've been trying to figure that out and continue to get better in that role. But I'm excited to just take on the challenges and when I get those opportunities to guard some of the best players. Just continue to show that I can guard and be a great defender for our team," Clifford said.
As Clifford talked about he has the goal of being a great defender and a versatile defenders specifically which is something that could really help the Kings in 2026.
Last season the Kings struggled to defend consistently and that was part of the reason they did struggle to have team success as Sacramento posted an overall record of 22-60.
When it comes to Clifford being able to provide that defense, I do believe he has that capability, especially with this frame. Clifford stands at 6-6 and 210 pounds, which was listed on the Kings' training camp roster.
With the size that Clifford provides, he has the ability to match up with a variety of playing styles on the defensive end and has the ability guard point guards, shooting guards, small forwards, and at times possibly power forwards which gives head coach Doug Christie a lot of flexibility he can utilize on the defensive end.
In terms of Clifford's defensive production in 2025, he was solid as he averaged 0.3 blocks and 0.9 steals per game in the 75 games that he played, which included 28 games started. When looking at the totals for each of those categories, Clifford tallied 24 blocks and 68 steals which were solid number, especially for a rookie.
As a result of Clifford starting 28 games last year he was able to gain a lot of valuable experience against some of the top talent in the NBA. While Clifford was a rookie and may have been in tough positions at times, that experience is something that could be monumental for his ability to progress this season.
The reason Clifford did have the opportunity to start was that the Kings did have some injury issues last year, specifically veteran guard Zach LaVine, who played just 39 games in 2025.
Heading into 2026, LaVine should be healthy and Clifford will very likely come off the bench which should give Clifford an opportunity to get used to his role and potentially shine on the defensive end.
So as Clifford and the Kings prepare for the 2026 season, if he can have a solid training camp and continue leaning into his frame and build on the solid performance he had in his rookie season, he could very well become one of the more consistent and versatile defenders for Sacramento this season.
