University of Georgia Athletics
Claxton Had 'Valuable' FIBA Experience
July 09, 2018 | Men's Basketball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Nicolas Claxton got to do a lot more than just go through workouts and practices recently. The Georgia men's basketball sophomore got to play and contribute in real, meaningful games, competing in the FIBA World Cup qualifying for the U.S. Virgin Islands national team last month in Puerto Rico.
Claxton's father, Charles, a former All-SEC post player for the Bulldogs in the 1990s, was born in the Virgin Islands, thus making it possible for his long and lanky and athletic son to compete in the international event, which is the lead-up to next year's FIBA World Cup.
It was a "really valuable" experience, Claxton said Monday.
"I was able to get a good measuring stick to see where I was, playing against the pros and being able to represent the Virgin Islands," he said. "It was really a blessing and I appreciate Coach [Tom] Crean and the staff for allowing me to do that."
In two games in Puerto Rico, Claxton played significant minutes off the bench. In the Virgin Islands' 84-74 win over the Bahamas, he played 14 minutes and put Virgin Islands ahead for good with a basket inside with 3:15 to play in the game. Claxton finished with five points and seven rebounds (six offensive).
In a lopsided loss to Canada, Claxton played 25 minutes and scored seven points and grabbed six rebounds. Claxton led his team in the two games with an average of 6.5 rebounds.
Crean said Monday that it can be a challenge for a player learning a new system with his primary team to then go and play for another squad for a short period, and then have to come back into the system he's still learning.
"He did a good job of coming and jumping back in," said Crean, who was hired in March. "I'm happy that he got a chance to do that, and that worked out well, and I think those experiences, going against the good players that he went against, will help him down the line. But right now it's so much now about, OK, let's make sure we're indoctrinated in what we've got to do to get better.
"Any time a player can get experience going against strong competition, it's important."
Listed at 6-foot-11 and 215 pounds as a freshman last season, Claxton played in all 33 games, starting five, and averaged 3.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. Those numbers are modest, but his impact was bigger than the numbers attest, both because he often produced stats in bunches and because the Greenville, S.C., native plays with so much energy.
Claxton has a lot of energy and a big personality, but he knows he has to get better to be at his best inside. That was something his recent international experience taught him.
"The physicality on the FIBA level is much different, they do a lot more pushing and shoving," he said. "I was just starting to get used to that when I ended up being finished. I take that away: make sure I continue to get stronger."
He's been hard at work in the weight room since the end of last season. He didn't hit his growth spurt until the 10th grade — he was still only around 6-foot in the eighth grade — when he shot up to about 6-7. Then came another four inches or so, plus some subsequent knee problems, so Claxton knows he's behind where he'd like to be when it comes to size and strength.
Crean has been impressed by Claxton and seen loads of potential since the new coach first arrived in Athens. In his opening news conference he said: "I look at him and watch him play throughout the year and I say, that is the living proof of somebody that can be versatile and multi-dimensional on both ends ..."
On Monday, Crean said Claxton has been "very good, very, very good, at picking things up, wanting to get better, understanding that there's a not of room for improvement."
When asked which area of his game has improved the most since the end of last season, Claxton said his shooting. Claxton shot 44.9 percent from field last season and was 8-for-22 from 3-point range. In Crean's up-tempo system, Claxton will likely be putting up a lot more 3s in the years to come.
"I have a lot more confidence in my shot," he said, "now that we're getting up a lot more shots in practice, a lot more extra work and extra reps."
The Virgin Islands squad will continue its qualifying quest in September against Venezuela, but Claxton said he won't be there. Instead he's "going to stay in Athens and focus on Georgia."
John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
