Nic Claxton

Claxton attended Legacy Charter School in Greenville, South Carolina. In his senior season, he averaged 17.4 points,7.8 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game and became the fourth player in school history to record 1,000 career points.{{cite web |title=Nicolas Claxton |url=https://georgiadogs.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3180 |publisher=University of Georgia Athletics |access-date=May 17, 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Weiszer |first1=Mark |title=Freshman Nicolas Claxton brings length, versatility to Bulldogs |url=https://www.onlineathens.com/sports/dogbytes/2017-11-01/freshman-nicolas-claxton-brings-length-versatility-bulldogs |website=Athens Banner-Herald |access-date=May 17, 2019 |date=November 1, 2017}} Claxton was a three-star recruit and chose to play for Georgia over Baylor, Florida State, NC State, and South Carolina.{{cite web |last1=Sudge |first1=Brandon |title=Three-star wing Nicolas Claxton signs with Georgia for 2017 |url=https://www.sicemdawgs.com/2016/11/three-star-wing-nicolas-claxton-signs-georgia-2017/ |publisher=SicEmDawgs |access-date=May 17, 2019 |date=November 14, 2016}}

On June 20, 2019, Claxton was selected with the 31st overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft by the Brooklyn Nets.{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/nets/news/2019/06/20/brooklyn-nets-select-nicolas-claxton-and-jaylen-hands-2019-nba-draft|title=Brooklyn Nets Select Nicolas Claxton and Jaylen Hands in 2019 NBA Draft|date=June 20, 2019|work=NBA.com|access-date=June 20, 2019}} On July 7, the Nets announced that they had signed Claxton.{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/nets/news/2019/07/07/brooklyn-nets-sign-nicolas-claxton|title=Brooklyn Nets Sign Nicolas Claxton|date=July 7, 2019|work=NBA.com|access-date=July 7, 2019}} He made his NBA debut on November 8, recording eight points and six rebounds in a 119–115 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.{{cite web |last1=Friar |first1=Nick |title=Nic Claxton impressed in NBA debut against Blazers |url=https://netswire.usatoday.com/2019/11/09/nicolas-claxton-made-nba-debut/ |website=Nets Wire |access-date=September 13, 2023 |date=November 9, 2019}} Claxton suffered a hamstring injury in January 2020 and was assigned to the Nets' NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, on January 10, 2020.{{cite news |title=Nets' Nicolas Claxton: Sent to G League |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/328060-nets-nicolas-claxton-sent-to-g-league/ |access-date=January 11, 2020 |work=CBS Sports |date=January 10, 2020}} On January 20, he scored a season-high 15 points, alongside four rebounds and two assists, in a 117–111 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.{{cite web |title=Simmons scores 34 in triple-double, carries 76ers past Nets |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401161283 |website=ESPN |access-date=September 13, 2023 |date=January 20, 2020}} On June 24, the Nets announced that Claxton had undergone successful arthroscopic labrum repair surgery on his left shoulder and was expected to miss the remainder of the 2019–20 season.{{cite web|title=NICOLAS CLAXTON MEDICAL UPDATE|url=https://www.nba.com/nets/news/2020/06/24/nicolas-claxton-medical-update|date=June 24, 2020|website=NBA.com|access-date=June 24, 2020}}

Heading to the 2020–21 season the Nets traded center Jarrett Allen to create more minutes for Claxton.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}} On May 12, 2021, Claxton scored a season-high 18 points, alongside five rebounds and two blocks, in a 128–116 win over the San Antonio Spurs.{{cite web |title=Harden returns to score 18 points, Nets beat Spurs 128-116 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401307852 |website=ESPN |access-date=September 13, 2023 |date=May 12, 2021}} During the playoffs, the Nets faced the Boston Celtics in the first round. Claxton made his playoff debut on May 22, recording six points and five rebounds in a 104–93 Game 1 win.{{cite web |last1=Brooks |first1=Matthew |title=Nicolas Claxton on Game 1 playoff debut against Boston: 'I was ready' |url=https://www.netsdaily.com/2021/5/25/22453095/nicolas-claxton-on-game-1-playoff-debut-against-boston-i-was-ready |website=NetsDaily |access-date=September 13, 2023 |date=May 25, 2021}} The Nets ended up winning the series in five games,{{cite web |title=Nets head to second round, beat Celtics 123-109 in Game 5 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401327890 |website=ESPN |access-date=September 13, 2021 |date=June 1, 2021}} but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games during the second round.{{cite web |title=Bucks edge Nets in OT in Game 7, withstand Durant's 48 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401332963 |website=ESPN |access-date=September 13, 2023 |date=June 20, 2021}}

In the off-season the Nets traded starting center DeAndre Jordan to the Detroit Pistons and named Claxton as their main starting center. On February 2, 2022, Claxton scored a season-high 23 points, alongside eleven rebounds and five blocks, in a 112–101 loss to the Sacramento Kings.{{cite web |title=Kings rally in 4th to hand Nets 6th straight loss, 112-101 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401360599 |website=ESPN |access-date=September 13, 2023 |date=February 2, 2022}} In a rematch of last year's series, the Nets faced the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. The Nets were eliminated in four games, with Claxton averaging 10.5 points and 2.3 blocks per game.{{cite web |title=Celtics complete 4-game sweep of Nets with 116-112 victory |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401430212 |website=ESPN |access-date=September 13, 2023 |date=April 25, 2022}}

On July 7, 2022, Claxton re-signed with the Nets on a two-year, $20 million contract.{{cite web |title=Brooklyn Nets Re-sign Nic Claxton |url=https://www.nba.com/nets/news/2022/07/07/brooklyn-nets-re-signed-nic-claxton |website=NBA.com |access-date=July 12, 2022 |date=July 7, 2022}}{{cite web |title=Nets re-sign Nic Claxton to 2-year, $20 million contract: Sources |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3489410/2022/07/01/nets-re-sign-nic-claxton-to-2-year-20-million-contract-sources/ |website=The Athletic |access-date=July 12, 2022 |date=July 1, 2022}} He was the Nets' starting center entering the 2021–22 season.{{Cite web |title=Nic Claxton starting to be big-impact player for Nets |url=https://nypost.com/2023/01/07/nic-claxton-starting-to-be-big-impact-player-for-nets/ |access-date=February 4, 2023 |website=NY Post |date=January 7, 2023}} On January 26, 2023, Claxton scored a career-high 27 points, alongside 13 rebounds and two blocks, in a 130–122 loss to the Detroit Pistons.{{cite web |title=Pistons beat Nets, first win in Brooklyn in almost 5 years |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401468886 |website=ESPN |access-date=September 13, 2023 |date=January 26, 2023}} He ended the year leading the league in field goal percentage at 70.5%, averaged 2.5 blocks per game, 2nd behind Defensive Player of the Year winner Jaren Jackson Jr., and finished 9th in DPOY voting.

On July 6, 2024, Claxton re-signed with the Nets on a reported four-year, $100 million contract.{{cite tweet|first=Adrian|last=Wojnarowski|title=Nic Claxton intends to a sign a four-year, $100M to return to the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell ESPN.|number=1806109606613061728|user=wojespn|date=June 26, 2024|access-date=July 14, 2024}}{{cite web|title=Brooklyn Nets Re-Sign Nic Claxton|url=https://www.nba.com/nets/news/brooklyn-nets-re-sign-nic-claxton|website=NBA.com|date=July 6, 2024|access-date=July 6, 2024}} On October 23, 2024, during the Nets season opener against the Atlanta Hawks, Claxton was ejected clotheslining Hawks guard Dyson Daniels after receiving a flagrant 2 foul which resulted in a scuffle.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-24 |title=WATCH: Nets' Nic Claxton ejected after hard swing at head of Hawks' Dyson Daniels |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/watch-nets-nic-claxton-ejected-after-hard-swing-at-head-of-hawks-dyson-daniels/ |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}} On December 19, 2024, during a 101-94 win against the Toronto Raptors, Claxton was ejected again in the second quarter for throwing the into the stands. Two days later, Claxton was fined $25,000 for his actions.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-21 |title=Claxton fined $25K for throwing ball into stands |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/43093696/nets-nic-claxton-fined-25k-throwing-ball-stands |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}

In 2014, Claxton played for the United States Virgin Islands at the Centrobasket Under-15 Championship in Panama City, averaging a double-double of 10.6 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.{{cite web |title=Nicolas Claxton's profile - 2014 Centrobasket U15 Championship for Men |url=https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/115940/pid2//sid/10279/tid/385/tid2//_/2014_Centrobasket_U15_Championship_for_Men/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517161843/https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/115940/pid2//sid/10279/tid/385/tid2//_/2014_Centrobasket_U15_Championship_for_Men/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 17, 2019 |publisher=FIBA |access-date=May 17, 2019}} He made another appearance for the U.S. Virgin Islands at the 2015 Centrobasket Under-17 Championship in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he averaged 11 points and eight rebounds per game.{{cite web |title=Nicolas Claxton's profile - 2015 Centrobasket U17 Championship for Men |url=https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/115940/pid2//sid/11679/tid/385/tid2//_/2015_Centrobasket_U17_Championship_for_Men/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517161841/https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/115940/pid2//sid/11679/tid/385/tid2//_/2015_Centrobasket_U17_Championship_for_Men/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 17, 2019 |publisher=FIBA |access-date=May 17, 2019}} Claxton competed at the 2016 FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship in Valdivia, Chile. He averaged a team-high 12 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, leading his team to seventh place.{{cite web |title=Nicolas Claxton's profile - 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men |url=https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/115940/sid/8094/tid/385/_/2016_FIBA_Americas_U18_Championship_for_Men/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517161837/https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/115940/sid/8094/tid/385/_/2016_FIBA_Americas_U18_Championship_for_Men/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 17, 2019 |publisher=FIBA |access-date=May 17, 2019}}{{cite web |title=Nicolas Claxton Player Profile |url=https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Nicolas-Claxton/Summary/108483 |publisher=RealGM |access-date=May 17, 2019}} In the summer of 2018, Claxton joined the senior Virgin Islands national team at qualifying competition for the 2019 FIBA World Cup.{{cite web |last1=Hebert |first1=Michael |title=Georgia basketball's Nicolas Claxton shines for the U.S. Virgin Islands team in qualifying competition for the 2019 FIBA World Cup |url=https://www.redandblack.com/sports/georgia-basketball-s-nicolas-claxton-shines-for-the-u-s/article_9c828878-7c83-11e8-a64d-1f9c1755777c.html |website=The Red & Black |access-date=May 17, 2019 |date=June 30, 2018}}

Claxton is eligible for the U.S. Virgin Islands team because his father, Charles, was born in St. Thomas.

{{NBA player statistics legend|leader=y}}

{{NBA player statistics start}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2019}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Brooklyn

| 15 || 0 || 12.5 || .563 || .143 || .524 || 2.9 || 1.1 || .1 || .5 || 4.4

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2020}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Brooklyn

| 32 || 1 || 18.6 || .621 || .200 || .484 || 5.2 || .9 || .7 || 1.3 || 6.6

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2021}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Brooklyn

| 47 || 19 || 20.7 || .674 || {{sort|-|—}} || .581 || 5.6 || .9 || .5 || 1.1 || 8.7

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2022}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Brooklyn

| 76 || 76 || 29.9 || style="background:#cfecec;"|.705* || .000 || .541 || 9.2 || 1.9 || .9 || 2.5 || 12.6

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2023}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Brooklyn

| 71 || 71 || 29.8 || .629 || .200 || .551 || 9.9 || 2.1 || .6 || 2.1 || 11.8

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2024}}

| style="text-align:left;"|Brooklyn

| 70 || 62 || 26.9 || .563 || .238 || .513 || 7.4 || 2.2 || .9 || 1.4 || 10.3

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career

| 311 || 229 || 25.8 || .636 || .200 || .537 || 7.7 || 1.7 || .7 || 1.7 || 10.3

{{s-end}}

{{NBA player statistics start}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|2021

| style="text-align:left;"|Brooklyn

| 12 || 0 || 10.8 || .483 || {{sort|-|—}} || .667 || 2.8 || .6 || .3 || 1.0 || 2.5

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|2022

| style="text-align:left;"|Brooklyn

| 4 || 0 || 24.5 || .792 || {{sort|-|—}} || .182 || 6.3 || 1.5 || 1.3 || 2.3 || 10.5

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|2023

| style="text-align:left;"|Brooklyn

| 4 || 4 || 29.2 || .720 || {{sort|-|—}} || .600 || 8.0 || 1.5 || .3 || 1.8 || 10.5

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career

| 20 || 4 || 17.2 || .654 || {{sort|-|—}} || .343 || 4.5 || 1.0 || .5 || 1.4 || 5.7

{{s-end}}

{{NBA player statistics start}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|2017–18

| style="text-align:left;"|Georgia

| 33 || 5 || 14.7 || .449 || .364 || .523 || 3.9 || .2 || .2 || 1.3 || 3.9

|-

| style="text-align:left;"|2018–19

| style="text-align:left;"|Georgia

| 32 || 32 || 31.6 || .460 || .281 || .641 || 8.6 || 1.8 || 1.1 || 2.5 || 13.0

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career

| 65 || 37 || 23.0 || .457 || .302 || .611 || 6.2 || 1.0 || .6 || 1.9 || 8.4

{{s-end}}

Claxton is the son of Charles Claxton, a U.S. Virgin Islands native who played college basketball for Georgia and was briefly a member of the Boston Celtics in the 1995–96 NBA season.{{cite web |last1=Weiszer |first1=Mark |title=Claxton connection to Georgia continues as Bulldogs land son of former player |url=https://www.onlineathens.com/sports/2016-11-14/claxton-connection-georgia-continues-bulldogs-land-son-former-player |website=Athens Banner-Herald |access-date=May 17, 2019 |date=November 14, 2016}}{{cite web |title=Charles Claxton |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/claxtch01.html |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=May 17, 2019}} Nic's younger brother, Chase Claxton, plays Division I basketball for the Winthrop Eagles.{{Cite news |last=Zietlow |first=Alex |date=18 March 2021 |title=He has NBA genes. But at Winthrop, Claxton will do what his brother and dad didn't |work=Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/article250012154.html |access-date=28 August 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220830162428/https://archive.today/20220830162144/https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/article250012154.html |archive-date=2022-08-30}}

• List of second-generation NBA players

{{reflist}}

{{basketballstats}}

• [https://georgiadogs.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3180 Georgia Bulldogs bio]

{{Brooklyn Nets current roster}}

{{2019 NBA draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Claxton, Nicolas}}

Category:1999 births

Category:Living people

Category:American people of United States Virgin Islands descent

Category:Basketball players from Greenville, South Carolina

Category:American men's basketball players

Category:United States Virgin Islands men's basketball players

Category:Brooklyn Nets draft picks

Category:Brooklyn Nets players

Category:Georgia Bulldogs basketball players

Category:Long Island Nets players

Category:Power forwards

Category:21st-century American sportsmen