Nique Clifford has been a standout in the Colorado basketball scene since high school.
The Colorado Springs native went from being the 2020 Gatorade Player of the Year to starting his college career with the CU Buffs and is now shining with the CSU Rams.
His recent career-high 36-point performance against Boise State earned national attention, and CSU Head Coach Niko Medved called it one of the best performances in the program's history.
"To have that kind of performance, in that situation, is just legendary," Medved said.
Clifford, a 6'6" super senior, chose to return for another season with the Rams, a decision that’s paid off. He leads the team in nearly every statistical category.
“I knew coming back I was going to have a bigger role, and I wanted to help my team win," Clifford said. "To just see that come into fruition and play out kind of how I thought it would, it's been pretty cool.
His improved confidence and strong performances have helped elevate his draft stock, but his focus remains on helping the team succeed. The Rams are the No. 2 seed in the Mountain West Tournament and will face Nevada on Thursday night.
“It's the best time of the year," Clifford said. "We still have a lot of people to prove wrong, and we just want to stick together and keep doing what we're doing."
