Noah Clowney ‘just stopped caring’ before finally breaking out for Nets

Despite several ankle sprains that put a limit on his sophomore season, there was no concern over Noah Clowney’s development for Jordi Fernández.

“We saw him as a part of our future,” the coach said after practice on Tuesday. 

At the beginning of this season, the third-year forward got off to a rocky start due to what Clowney believed was being “ too conservative” on the floor.

However, following the Nets’ 0-7 start, the 21-year-old has found his footing and the team’s belief in him is paying off.

In the last 16 games, Clowney has averaged 16.6 points on 45 percent shooting from the field and nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc.

In the first seven games of the season, he was only shooting 27 percent and averaging just 5.5 points. 

“I didn’t want to mess up, so it got to a point where I just stopped caring. I was like, I’m either going to look crazy or look good doing what I’m supposed to do,” Clowney said. “I think my problem was at a time where I would be too worried about how I looked from the outside. I don’t really care no more because I had to realize the only people whose opinion I really care about and how I’m playing is my teammates and coaching staff that have seen me the whole summer. So, they know what I’m capable of so they weren’t having an issue with what I was doing. Just a matter of doing it and not halfway doing it.”

Clowney is playing the most minutes so far of his NBA career, averaging 28 minutes per game, which has given him more opportunities, especially alongside Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton in the frontcourt. 

Playing with the veterans has proved helpful for Clowney, who has scored big in games when Porter was hot, such as against Charlotte (18) and the Bulls (20). The trio has a +3.37 net rating in 304 minutes together, according to PBPStats.com.

“It’s always easier to play with Mike because of the gravity he brings,” Clowney said. “You gotta respect him. If Mike is playing, the best defender is probably guarding Mike. I think he’s a focal point, obviously. So, he’s the focal point and I’m not a focal point. It’s a lot easier to get in the flow of the game and I think I’ve been able to thrive.”

Haywood Highsmith was shooting free throws at the Nets practice on Tuesday, but there is no health update on the 29-year-old forward as he recovers from surgery on his right knee after a meniscus tear.

In October, he had a setback after experiencing swelling during rehab. 

“We like how he’s progressing, we just don’t have any updates,” Fernández said. “But he’s doing very well.”