Nic Claxton

Nicolas Devir Claxton (born April 17, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Georgia Bulldogs.

Nic Claxton
Claxton with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019
No. 33 – Brooklyn Nets
PositionCenter
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (1999-04-17) April 17, 1999
Greenville, South Carolina, U.S.
NationalityAmerican / U.S. Virgin Islander
Listed height6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High schoolLegacy Charter School
(Greenville, South Carolina)
CollegeGeorgia (2017–2019)
NBA draft2019: 2nd round, 31st overall pick
Selected by the Brooklyn Nets
Playing career2019–present
Career history
2019–presentBrooklyn Nets
2019–2020→Long Island Nets
Career highlights and awards
  • Second-team All-SEC – Coaches (2019)
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats  at Basketball-Reference.com

High school career

Claxton attended Legacy Charter School in Greenville, South Carolina. In his senior season, he averaged 17.4 points,7.8 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game and became the fourth player in school history to record 1,000 career points.[1][2] Claxton was a three-star recruit and chose to play for Georgia over Baylor, Florida State, NC State, and South Carolina.[3]

Professional career

Early years and limited role (2019–2021)

On June 20, 2019, Claxton was selected with the 31st overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft by the Brooklyn Nets.[4] On July 7, the Nets announced that they had signed Claxton.[5] He made his NBA debut on November 8, recording eight points and six rebounds in a 119–115 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.[6] Claxton suffered a hamstring injury in January 2020 and was assigned to the Nets' NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, on January 10, 2020.[7] On January 20, he scored a season-high 15 points, alongside four rebounds and two assists, in a 117–111 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.[8] On June 24, the Nets announced that Claxton had undergone successful arthroscopic labrum repair surgery on his left shoulder and was expected to miss the remainder of the 2019–20 season.[9]

Heading to the 2020–21 season the Nets traded center Jarrett Allen to create more minutes for Claxton. On May 12, 2021, Claxton scored a season-high 18 points, alongside five rebounds and two blocks, in a 128–116 win over the San Antonio Spurs.[10] During the playoffs, the Nets faced the Boston Celtics in the first round. Claxton made his playoff debut on May 22, recording six points and five rebounds in a 104–93 Game 1 win.[11] The Nets ended up winning the series in five games,[12] but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games during the second round.[13]

Emerging as a defensive star and increase production (2021–present)

In the off-season the Nets traded starting center DeAndre Jordan and named Claxton as their main starting center. On February 2, 2022, Claxton scored a season-high 23 points, alongside eleven rebounds and five blocks, in a 112–101 loss to the Sacramento Kings.[14] In a rematch of last year's series, the Nets faced the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. The Nets were eliminated in four games, with Claxton averaging 10.5 points and 2.3 blocks per game.[15]

On July 7, 2022, Claxton re-signed with the Nets on a two-year, $20 million contract.[16][17] He was the Nets' starting center entering the 2021–22 season.[18] On January 26, 2023, Claxton scored a career-high 27 points, alongside 13 rebounds and two blocks, in a 130–122 loss to the Detroit Pistons.[19]

National team career

In 2014, Claxton played for the United States Virgin Islands at the Centrobasket Under-15 Championship in Panama City, averaging a double-double of 10.6 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.[20] He made another appearance for the Virgin Islands at the 2015 Centrobasket Under-17 Championship in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he averaged 11 points and eight rebounds per game.[21] Claxton competed at the 2016 FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship in Valdivia, Chile. He averaged a team-high 12 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, leading his team to seventh place.[22][23] In the summer of 2018, Claxton joined the senior Virgin Islands national team at qualifying competition for the 2019 FIBA World Cup.[24]

Claxton is eligible for the U.S. Virgin Islands team because his father, Charles, was born in St. Thomas.[24]

Career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
 *  Led the league

Regular season
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2019–20 Brooklyn 15012.5.563.143.5242.91.1.1.54.4
2020–21 Brooklyn 32118.6.621.200.4845.2.9.71.36.6
2021–22 Brooklyn 471920.7.674—.5815.6.9.51.18.7
2022–23 Brooklyn 767629.9.705*.000.5419.21.9.92.512.6
Career 1709623.7.679.143.5406.91.4.71.79.7

Play-in
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2022 Brooklyn 1028.71.000–.1679.01.0.05.013.0
Career 1028.71.000–.1679.01.0.05.013.0

Playoffs
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2021 Brooklyn 12010.8.483—.6672.8.6.31.02.5
2022 Brooklyn 4024.5.792—.1826.31.51.32.310.5
2023 Brooklyn 4429.2.720—.6008.01.5.31.810.5
Career 20417.2.654—.3434.51.0.51.45.7

College
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2017–18 Georgia 33514.7.449.364.5233.9.2.21.33.9
2018–19 Georgia 323231.6.460.281.6418.61.81.12.513.0
Career 653723.0.457.302.6116.21.0.61.98.4

Personal life

Claxton is the son of Charles Claxton, a U.S. Virgin Islands native who played college basketball for Georgia and was briefly a member of the Boston Celtics in the 1995–96 NBA season.[25][26] Nic's younger brother, Chase Claxton, plays Division I basketball for the Winthrop Eagles.[27]

References
  1. "Nicolas Claxton". University of Georgia Athletics. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  2. Weiszer, Mark (November 1, 2017). "Freshman Nicolas Claxton brings length, versatility to Bulldogs". Athens Banner-Herald. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  3. Sudge, Brandon (November 14, 2016). "Three-star wing Nicolas Claxton signs with Georgia for 2017". SicEmDawgs. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  4. "Brooklyn Nets Select Nicolas Claxton and Jaylen Hands in 2019 NBA Draft". NBA.com. June 20, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  5. "Brooklyn Nets Sign Nicolas Claxton". NBA.com. July 7, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  6. Friar, Nick (November 9, 2019). "Nic Claxton impressed in NBA debut against Blazers". Nets Wire. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  7. "Nets' Nicolas Claxton: Sent to G League". CBS Sports. January 10, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  8. "Simmons scores 34 in triple-double, carries 76ers past Nets". ESPN. January 20, 2020. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  9. "NICOLAS CLAXTON MEDICAL UPDATE". NBA.com. June 24, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  10. "Harden returns to score 18 points, Nets beat Spurs 128-116". ESPN. May 12, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  11. Brooks, Matthew (May 25, 2021). "Nicolas Claxton on Game 1 playoff debut against Boston: 'I was ready'". NetsDaily. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  12. "Nets head to second round, beat Celtics 123-109 in Game 5". ESPN. June 1, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  13. "Bucks edge Nets in OT in Game 7, withstand Durant's 48". ESPN. June 20, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  14. "Kings rally in 4th to hand Nets 6th straight loss, 112-101". ESPN. February 2, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  15. "Celtics complete 4-game sweep of Nets with 116-112 victory". ESPN. April 25, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  16. "Brooklyn Nets Re-sign Nic Claxton". NBA.com. July 7, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  17. "Nets re-sign Nic Claxton to 2-year, $20 million contract: Sources". The Athletic. July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  18. "Nic Claxton starting to be big-impact player for Nets". NY Post. January 7, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  19. "Pistons beat Nets, first win in Brooklyn in almost 5 years". ESPN. January 26, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  20. "Nicolas Claxton's profile - 2014 Centrobasket U15 Championship for Men". FIBA. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  21. "Nicolas Claxton's profile - 2015 Centrobasket U17 Championship for Men". FIBA. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  22. "Nicolas Claxton's profile - 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men". FIBA. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  23. "Nicolas Claxton Player Profile". RealGM. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  24. Hebert, Michael (June 30, 2018). "Georgia basketball's Nicolas Claxton shines for the U.S. Virgin Islands team in qualifying competition for the 2019 FIBA World Cup". The Red & Black. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  25. Weiszer, Mark (November 14, 2016). "Claxton connection to Georgia continues as Bulldogs land son of former player". Athens Banner-Herald. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  26. "Charles Claxton". Sports Reference. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  27. Zietlow, Alex (March 18, 2021). "He has NBA genes. But at Winthrop, Claxton will do what his brother and dad didn't". Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 30, 2022. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
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