DeMar DeRozan has witnessed stars come and go throughout his long NBA career. Now entering the 17th season of his journey—and his second with the Sacramento Kings—he sees a potential standout in rookie guard Nique Clifford, who he believes could shine brightly for the Kings very soon.
DeRozan aims to provide a stable presence on the offensive end while helping younger players improve their games. Speaking about the Kings’ prospects heading into the 2025-26 NBA season, DeRozan, as reported by Brenden Nunes, highlighted Clifford as a player who can make a significant impact both this season and in the long term.
“I really believe [Nique Clifford] is gonna be a star in this league. He’s very mature and smooth with his skillset,” DeRozan said.
### What Lies Ahead for DeMar DeRozan and the Kings
DeRozan’s strong endorsement of Nique Clifford signals high expectations for the rookie’s role in the Kings’ success this year. Clifford entered the league in 2025 after the Oklahoma City Thunder selected him with the 24th overall pick in the NBA Draft. He was subsequently traded to Sacramento in exchange for draft compensation.
Clifford made a name for himself as a collegiate star at Colorado State, where he averaged an impressive 18.9 points and 9.6 rebounds per game in his final season.
As for DeRozan, he will look to maintain his efficiency as one of Sacramento’s top scorers. Last season, he averaged 22.2 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.9 rebounds across 77 games.
The Kings have remained in playoff contention since returning to the postseason in 2023. They have competed in the play-in tournament for the past two seasons, narrowly missing out on securing the seventh or eighth seed.
Sacramento continues to prepare for their regular-season opener, which will be on the road against the Phoenix Suns on October 22 at 10 p.m. ET. With veterans like DeRozan providing leadership and promising rookies like Clifford emerging, the Kings look to build on their recent progress and make a deeper playoff push in 2025-26.
https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-demar-derozan-predicts-teammate-will-be-nba-star
