Nets’ Clowney Struggles Despite Coach’s Confidence

Brooklyn, NY — Noah Clowney, the Brooklyn Nets’ third-year forward, has had a challenging start to the season. In the first five games, he averaged only 5.2 points per game and made just 25 percent of his shots. His shooting performance has notably declined compared to last season, hitting 3 of 8 attempts inside the 3-point arc and 7 of 28 from beyond it.

Despite these struggles, head coach Jordi Fernández remains optimistic about Clowney’s potential. After practice on Friday, he praised Clowney’s summer training and physical conditioning. “He had a great summer, his body looks great,” Fernández stated. “Obviously, we want him to have a bigger impact as far as making things happen, but I’m very happy with his play.”

Fernández pointed to the Nets’ recent game against the Atlanta Hawks, where Clowney managed to connect on just 1 of 7 field goals. The coach maintained that the young forward played well overall, saying, “Just good shots didn’t go in. The shots looked really good.” He urged Clowney to continue to shoot confidently and not to overthink his attempts.

However, Fernández acknowledged that Clowney and the entire team need to improve defensively. The Nets have struggled on that end of the floor, leading to their disappointing record. “I just need him to be better defensively and he embraced it,” said Fernández. “Last game, he was better.”

At 6-foot-10 and only 21 years old, Clowney remains an important player for the Nets. “We need Noah,” Fernández emphasized. “Noah is a big presence for our team. He has toughness, size, shooting, rebounding and winning plays. We need more verticality and he’s a big part of doing that.”

In other team news, Ziaire Williams is nearing a return after suffering a back fracture during last Sunday’s loss against the San Antonio Spurs. Fernández reported that Williams is “pretty close” to playing again. “He’s feeling good,” the coach noted. “We have to see how he reacts now and how his body feels afterward. If his body responds well, we’ll make a decision.”

With the rookies Danny Wolf and Nolan Traore currently practicing with the team’s G League affiliate in Long Island, Fernández expressed that their development continues. “The development doesn’t stop,” he said. “It’s great for them now to get higher volume and more scrimmages” as the Nets prepare for back-to-back games against the Philadelphia 76ers and the Minnesota Timberwolves.