NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney is coming off the best season as he improved his ability to finish around the rim and draw fouls at an above-average rate. Alas, Brooklyn finished the 2025-26 season with a 20-62 record despite the contributions of players like Clowney. Clowney explained what led to some of his frustrations over the course of his career-year.
“I don’t think it’s got nothing to do with the team. It’s more about my individual performance. I think I had a really strong summer,” Clowney said during his exit interview after the season concluded. Clowney, along with forward Michael Porter Jr. and center Nic Claxton, was a big part of the reason that the Nets were able to have peaks like when they finished December with a 7-4 record and the best defensive rating in the league.
“I think if you ask anybody around here, they could tell you the same. I felt like when the season first started, it wasn’t translating how I wanted it to,” Clowney continued. “I think that led to frustration. But, I think as the season went on, I started looking at it differently, and it’s more of like game-by-game [mindset]. If I got better at this game, can I get better at this without losing my focus on this? So, I just took a different approach.”
Clowney, 21, finished the 2025-26 season with averages of 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 39.6% from the field and 32.9% from behind the three-point line. While most of Clowney’s shooting percentages were better than they were last season, they still pale in comparison to his rookie year when he shot 53.8% from the field.
Be that as it may, Clowney clearly showed his ability to be an impactful offensive player thanks to his shooting and aggressiveness while displaying his potential as a defensive player thanks to his length and agility. Clowney, formerly of the Alabama Crimson Tide, has already spoken on what he wants to improve on this summer, but he also took the time to acknowledge that there is still more he wants to show when he steps on the court next season.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets’ Noah Clowney explains some of his frustrations this season
Reporting by Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire / Nets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
