Noah Clowney targets key offensive improvements, focusing on finishing and ball-handling to elevate his game and solidify his role for the Nets.
The Brooklyn Nets' offseason started early after they finished with the third-worst record at 20-62. Noah Clowney is using the extended break to improve his game and become consistent.
Clowney, Brooklyn's 21st pick in the 2023 draft, has steadily progressed in each season with the team. The 6-foot-10 forward's minutes ballooned from 16.1 minutes in his rookie campaign to 27 minutes in his third year.
He averaged 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 39.6 percent from the field, 32.9 percent from 3-point range and 80.4 percent from the free-throw line this past season.
While the former Alabama player improved, he acknowledged inconsistencies throughout the season in skills like dribbling and finishing.
"I think my handle still can get a lot better, and that'll prevent turnovers and things of that nature offensively and defensively," Clowney told reporters in his on Monday. "It's just it's always been consistency. I can do it at times. Then other times I don't."
He said when teams didn't foul him, he struggled to finish at the rim because he'd be bumped off his spots. It's a part of his game that he believes will help him if he gets better at it.
"Sometimes I get caught on one foot instead of, you know, bump. I can play on two," Clowney said. "Really like the second level move, like bump, step through, things like that. If I can get better at that, I think that'll help me too."
Clowney had eight instances of 20 points or more throughout the year, but a common trend in those performances is his reliance on his three-point shot to produce at a high level.
He shot 33/61 from beyond the arc (54.1 percent) and 23/46 from inside the arc (50%). While his two-point shooting is efficient, Clowney only recorded over five made two-pointers in two of those eight games — against the Toronto Raptors and Utah Jazz.
Clowney said that his rim aggression improved, and his free-throw attempts are evidence of that progression. The 21-year-old's free-throw attempts doubled from 1.7 in 2024 to 3.4 in 2025.
He had the highest foul-drawing frequency at 18.5%, leading over stars like the New York Knicks' Karl Anthony-Towns (16.4%), the Minnesota Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards (15.2%) and the Orlando Magic's Paolo Banchero (13.8%).
Clowney credited his development to his coaches, Jordi Fernández and Deividas Dulkys, for helping him stay even-keeled and live with the results of his work throughout the wins and losses.
As the Nets' offseason kicked off early, Clowney said he is focusing on gelling with the players who will be around for a while and striving to get better next year.
"I got better at some different things, and I got more experience," Clowney added. "So, I'm going to take that for what it is."
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