Suns Could Snag Colorado State Guard in NBA Draft

The Phoenix Suns could look to add one of the most underrated players in college basketball in the NBA Draft.

Colorado State Rams guard Nique Clifford dribbles the ball against Maryland Terrapins guard Selton Miguel. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Suns might not have their own pick that is expected to land in the top 10 of this year's NBA Draft, but they are in control of the Cleveland Cavaliers' first-round selection, which is slated to be at No. 29 overall.

A player who could be available at that point in the draft is Colorado State shooting guard Nique Clifford, who had a breakout year with the Rams this season.

ESPN draft analysts Jeremy Woo and Jonathan Givony ranked Clifford No. 25 on their top 100 big board.

"Coming off a breakout season, Clifford appears well-positioned going into the predraft process and should be a popular workout target for NBA teams in need of plug-and-play depth," Woo wrote.

"He stands to benefit from what could be a thin mix of late-first and early-second-round candidates, with teams bracing for a wave of players in that range potentially opting to return to college for potentially major NIL earnings.

"Clifford should be able to contribute defensively, knock down open shots, and scale down into a useful role on his rookie contract, and the dearth of reliable two-way wings in this class adds to his appeal."

Clifford averaged 18.9 points per game and 9.6 rebounds, which put him at No. 13 in the entire country despite standing just 6-6.

Having a guard who can fight for rebounds is huge in the league, so Clifford is expected to make an impact wherever he lands in the NBA if he can continue to keep that effort up in the pros.

A player like that could have a chance to compete for playing time right away with the Suns next season.

Clifford is expected to be chosen during the first night of the NBA Draft, which is scheduled for June 25-26 from the Barclays Center.