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Noah Clowney's sophomore campaign with the Brooklyn Nets has ended. Head coach Jordi Fernandez announced Wednesday that the team has shut down the 20-year-old for the remainder of the season due to a right ankle sprain.
Clowney injured his right ankle during the fourth quarter of Saturday's 115-102 win over the Washington Wizards. The second-year forward missed three games due to a right ankle sprain in early March. He also missed two extended periods earlier this season due to left ankle sprains.
Evaluating Noah Clowney's injury-riddled sophomore season with Nets
Clowney was a lone bright spot for the Nets at the end of his rookie campaign. However, he was inconsistent while battling injuries this season. The 2023 first-round pick averaged 9.1 points and 3.9 rebounds on 36/33/84 shooting splits in 22.7 minutes per game over 46 appearances.
Clowney showed encouraging development as a floor-spacer early in the year. The 6-foot-9 forward shot 39.1 percent from three on 5.1 attempts per game over his first 23 appearances. However, he cooled off significantly amid his ankle injuries late in the year, shooting 28.8 percent on 6.3 attempts per game over his final 23 outings.
Clowney's floor-spacing potential was a big part of what attracted the Nets during the predraft process. He was not shy from beyond the arc this season, ranking 12th among NBA forwards with 12.3 three-point attempts per 100 possessions. However, he struggled to attack closeouts as a ball-handler, shooting 41.4 percent on 2.4 two-point attempts per game.
Clowney's defense did not take the strides many anticipated following his flashes late last season. He averaged 0.7 blocks per 36 minutes after posting 1.6 per-36 as a rookie. The Alabama product averaged 6.3 rebounds per 36 minutes, ranking 108th among 177 forwards to play over 500 minutes, per NBA.com Stats.
Given his injury struggles, Clowney's season is challenging to evaluate. However, it's clear he must improve as a ball-handler and finisher to complement his three-point shot if he hopes to play alongside traditional centers. Adding muscle to his 210-pound frame will help Clowney as a defender and rebounder.
“His physicality, especially on the defensive end. And then lately, his drive decisions,” Fernandez said of areas the Nets will look for Clowney to improve. “If he's not going to shoot it, and he's going to put the ball on the floor, how can he get to the rim with one or two dribbles and be efficient? Whether it's an easy drive and kick, or finish at the rim.
I think in the last few games, I know the sample size was small, but he's been working on it. And that's what he's going to focus on throughout the summer, and then once he's on the court and plays minutes consistently, I have no doubt that he's going to continue to get better.”
While he had an up-and-down season, Clowney has a long runway to develop as a prospect. The No. 21 pick in the 2023 draft was among the youngest selections in Nets franchise history. He is the NBA's 12th-youngest player to play over 1000 minutes this season.
“We believe that he's part of our future, and he's had a really good season. I know that with the injuries, it's been a little up and down, and [they were] injuries that you could not control, but we're very, very happy with him,” Fernandez said.
On a roster with little to no certainty, Clowney feels like the safest bet to remain on the team for the foreseeable future. He's under contract for $3.4 million next season before a $5.4 million team option in 2026-27. With four first-round picks in this June's draft, the Nets will welcome an influx of young talent next season.
After a rookie year spent primarily in the G League and an injury-riddled sophomore campaign, Clowney's development in 2025-26 will be a main storyline in Brooklyn.
