When Nic Claxton was drafted into the NBA, there was no hype around him. He was picked by the Brooklyn Nets 31st overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. If one followed the Nets closely, you could clearly see that Claxton had Defensive Player of the Year potential.
When Irving and Durant played for the Nets, the defense was not up to the mark for the Nets. They did not have a true defensive anchor nor did they have a proper center to go to. Claxton was on the roster, but the Nets were not playing him enough for him to develop.
He averaged only 12.5 minutes in his rookie season, 18.6 minutes in his second season, and 20.7 in his third season. Last season, however, when they decided to make Claxton their starting center, he immediately showcased DPOY potential, averaging 2.5 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game.
Claxton can guard all five positions and is one of the best switch defenders in the NBA. His confidence has also been sky high since last season and he stated multiple times that he should have been the 2023 DPOY candidate. The trophy ultimately went to Jaren Jackson Jr., but Claxton was right there.
The Nets roster is filled with young players who have a lot of potential with guys like Nic Claxton, Cam Johnson, Cam Thomas, Mikal Bridges. The squad just needs some more games together to build team chemistry. The potential of the Nets is scary and the fans just need to be patient with the process.
Nic Claxton at University of Georgia
Nic Claxton played for the Georgia Bulldogs of the University of Georgia. Claxton was a three star recruit coming out of high school and chose Georgia over Baylor, Florida State, NC State, and South Carolina. He joined the Bulldogs in 2017 and played for two seasons there.
He averaged 3.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 0.2 assists, and 1.3 blocks in his first season with Georgia and 13.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 2.5 blocks in his second season.
While it was not the most impressive stats, his length and defensive talent was enough for the Brooklyn Nets to take a chance. Claxton started slow in the NBA as well, but that was largely because he came off the bench because of players like DeAndre Jordan and Andre Drummond taking the starting center spot.
What position does Nic Claxton play?
Nic Claxton plays center for the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets were on a roll when Claxton started for the Nets and in the 2022-23 season, he averaged 12.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. He had 28 double-double games last season. He also led the league in field goal percentage, at 70.5% in the 2022/23 season.
Claxton has a lot of potential and can become an All-Star soon. Every season, Claxton’s averages are rising and the Nets are looking better each season. We shall see what this season unfolds for Claxton as he has only played one game this season due to injuries.
FAQs
A. Nic Claxton was born on April 17, 1999, and is currently 24 years old.
A. Nic Claxton is 6 feet 11 inches tall.
A. Nic Claxton plays for the Brooklyn Nets.
A. Claxton scored a career-high 27 points, had 13 rebounds and two blocks, in a loss against the Detroit Pistons.
A. He plays the center spot for the Brooklyn Nets.
