Top Colorado recruit Dominique Clifford grew into best player in state
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (BVM) — Dominique Clifford was a 6-foot point guard with a lot of potential when his high school career began with the Vanguard Coursers.
By the time it was over, he had become a 6-foot-5 point guard who can do everything on the basketball court.
“We kind of call him a triple-double wing player,” Vanguard head coach Joe Wetters said. “He can score, but he’s also going to get you 10 rebounds and he’s had nearly 10 assists on several nights. He’s a great passer, defends well, and gets rebounds on the defensive end just being that size. He’s very unique in his talents, size and length.”
The Colorado University-bound star grew, literally, into the best player in the state. Clifford was named the Colorado Player of the Year by Gatorade and MaxPreps after averaging 24.5 points, 13.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 3.4 steals and 2.8 blocks in his senior season with the Coursers, who he led to a 22-3 record and the Great 8 of the Class 3A state tournament.
It was a significant growth spurt prior to his junior season that brought Clifford more attention from high-major Division I programs and put him on the path to stardom.
“That’s when everything started to blow up,” Clifford said. “It was always what I dreamed of and what I worked towards and I think I’m ready to compete with those high-level players at the next level. I’m excited to take on that challenge.”
Clifford, who was also offered by Stanford and 11 other schools, used his new-found size to become the kind of dynamic player who can be a difference-maker for any team — while still maintaining the ability to play his natural position at an elite level.
“He’s always been the best point guard I’ve seen play,” Wetters said. “He’s always been the best player but he didn’t realize it until he was a junior and then he developed an attacking mentality and started being more aggressive on the court, taking more difficult shots in crunch time and guarding the other team’s best players. He really matured over the past couple of years.”
Off the court, Clifford is more mature than the average basketball star. Wetters said he’s an “outstanding community person” who volunteers and values relationships with friends and teammates above any of the accolades he’s received.
“The people around him raised him right,” Wetters said.
Clifford agrees.
“My parents have always stressed being a respectful kid,” he said, “and I think they just influenced me the right way as a kid and taught me the right things and I was able to be surrounded by the right people growing up. I think that’s what had the biggest impact on me and I’ve always kept that with me. Now I enjoy just giving back to people.”
Clifford’s potential seems to be sky high at the next level, and he may not even be done growing yet.
According to Wetters, doctors have said that Clifford’s bones aren’t yet fully fused, which leaves open the possibility that he could even add on a couple more inches of height. Add to that the fact that he’ll likely get stronger and improve his already high-level skills while playing for the Buffaloes, and there doesn’t appear to be a limit on how far Clifford can take his basketball career.
“I think that’s what schools that were recruiting him for was his potential,” Wetters said. “He might not be the best player in the country right now, but his potential two or three years from now could be a lottery pick-type of player. … If he works as hard at CU as he did for us at Vanguard, he’s going to make those dreams come true.”