NBA Draft Scouting Report: Alabama's Noah Clowney
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Noah Clowney
Forward | Alabama
Height: 6'10” | Weight: 210 lbs
2023 Draft Age: 18.41
© Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK
Prospect Profile
One of the biggest risers over the course of the season, Clowney is a surprising potential one-and-done prospect. Although he looked somewhat overwhelmed at points early in the season, he’s getting more comfortable. With each game, he continues to grow and shot positive signs of development.
In the biggest moments of the season, Clowney has played some of his best games. This is extremely promising for a guy that will still be 18 on the night of the 2023 NBA Draft and is one of the youngest players in the country.
The 6-foot-10 forward is definitely more raw than some of his peers that will get first-round interest, but the ceiling is high. At the next level, he projects to be a mobile big, playing mostly at forward but also capable of being a center situationally. As of today, we don’t see the skillset to slide down to a more traditional wing, but that’s fine given his size.
Clowney is one of the most efficient scorers in the country inside the arc. He’s got good touch near rim and finishes well with both hands.
The freshman is also a solid positional shooter from deep, but has room to improve in that aspect of the game. He’s already good enough to force defenders to respect his perimeter shot, but emerging as a legitimate floor spacer would elevate his stock. Regardless, Clowney is a willing shooter from beyond the arc and takes multiple attempts per game, which is promising even if his efficiency wasn't very high. Everything points to him having upside as a 3-point shooter at the NBA level.
When thinking about how his offensive game translates at the next level, he could be a really good screener that keeps defenses scrambling due to his ability to roll or pop following the pick action.
While the jumper is impressive for a player of his size, Clowney is a poor free throw shooter. At the NBA level, this will have to be fixed if he’s going to be a player that can be trusted to get minutes down the stretch.
With his size and athleticism, Clowney is also a really good rebounder. He uses his tools well to clean the glass, which makes him a potential double-double machine longer term.
As promising as the offensive versatility is, Clowney’s real upside is on the defensive end. That’s where his ceiling gets really interesting. He can really impact the game on that end both in the paint and on the perimeter.
As a rim protector, Clowney has shown the ability to block shots with good timing. He does struggle against bigger, stronger centers in the paint, but has good instincts overall.
On the perimeter, he uses his long arms to force deflections and steals. When defending smaller guards, Clowney has been inconsistent but still impressive. Sometimes he looks like a guy that can hold his own on the perimeter against quicker players, but other times his feet move extremely slow and the lack of lateral quickness is apparent. It’s all about staying balanced for the young forward.
Clowney still has a long way to go from a physical standpoint, as he needs to fill out and get stronger. This would help him on both ends, but it’s clear he could struggle early at the NBA level if he were still this size.
Overall, he doesn’t project to be a star at the NBA level, but could be a really valuable piece of a team’s top end rotation. The former four-star recruit wasn’t the biggest name entering college, but is proving that he’s underrated.
Playing on an extremely talented Alabama team alongside Brandon Miller was the primary reason Clowney’s role wasn't huge as a freshman. There simply wasn't many games in which he’s the primary scoring option.
At this point, it will be interesting to see how the pre-draft process goes for Clowney. He will absolutely get first-round consideration, but could also come back for his sophomore season and attempt to further solidify himself as a future lottery pick.
Highlights
Draft Projection
Late First or Early Second-Round Pick in 2023 NBA Draft.
2023 Big Board
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