Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney, now 22 years old, is coming off a 2025-26 season where he didn’t just play more, he *produced* more, logging career-highs in almost all his per-game stats with 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. This guy took a serious leap in his third year, and it’s got folks paying attention.
He Impressed Everyone Who Saw Him Play, For Real
Remember when Clowney came into the league at 19? He had potential, sure, but he really started to show it last season. TrueHoop’s Coach Thorpe, who tracks intriguing players, was absolutely blown away. Thorpe wrote that Clowney “impressed me more than anyone when I got to see him play in games” among the tier of players he had no idea what to expect from. That’s high praise, and for good reason. Clowney wasn’t just putting up numbers, he was doing it efficiently. The dude averaged those stats in only 27 minutes per game, which is wild when you consider the company he keeps.
The Numbers Are Getting Hard to Ignore for Clowney
Here’s the stat that makes you double-take: only three players 21 or younger averaged at least 12 points and took 3.4 or more free throws per game. Who are they? Clowney, Cooper Flagg, and Stephon Castle. That’s a huge deal. While his shooting percentages were 39.6% from the field and 32.9% from behind the arc last season, Thorpe points out that Clowney’s 33% from three, which has been consistent for two seasons, “is not bad” and there’s “every reason to think he is due for a big improvement.” Head coach Jordi Fernandez felt comfortable starting Clowney at power forward for 60 of his 66 games, showing real confidence in his development.
The Nets, though, just went and traded for Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle. That means Clowney is probably sliding to the bench unless Fernandez gets creative and experiments with him at center. It’s a tough break right when he hit his stride, but the tape doesn’t lie. Even if he’s not starting out of training camp later this month, Clowney has shown more than enough to keep guys like Thorpe excited for what he’ll do in his fourth season. Can he maintain that production in a new role? That’s the big question heading into the new year.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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