Dominique Clifford: There’s No Place Like Home
Dominique Clifford – The Vanguard School - Class of 2020 - University of Colorado Commit
Growing up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Dominique “Nique” Clifford has always felt a great connection with his hometown. His parents Akai, a business banker, and Angel, a benefits supervisor, instilled that sense of community in him during his childhood. They’re a tight family unit. You can often find them playing board games, relishing in the excitement of March Madness, or watching a comedy show on a Friday night. His mom even works out with him to keep him in training shape during the off-season. He’s found that their attitude of inclusion has made it easier to build relationships both on and off the court.
His grandmothers have also played a part in promoting that mentality. One, a truck driver, lives with them when she comes home. He misses her and her home cooking when she’s on the road, but she leaves him plenty of leftovers in the meantime. The other spent much of his childhood with him and according to Nique, “helped develop him as a person.” Two years ago, she and his grandfather moved to Midwest City, Oklahoma. His grandfather passed away six months ago. Although he wishes he could be there to support her, he trusts his family living in Oklahoma to comfort her.
Nique admits it was sometimes tough being an only child, but it allowed him to build stronger relationships with his parents—his confidantes and pillars of guidance. They’ve reached a level of trust where he’s comfortable coming to them with anything and having honest and open communication. Whether it involves girls, basketball, or life lessons, Dominique knows he can always look to his home whenever life throws him a curve ball. Lately, they’ve been aiding him in his preparation for college and beyond, teaching him about cooking and personal finance. He’s even taking classes to further that financial education. It’s that education that comes before anything. Says Nique, “My parents were strict about grades. Bringing home a C meant not playing basketball and that was out of the question.” He was able to find a balance. Once his homework and training were complete, he’d let his friends know he was available. He knows that whether or not basketball works out long-term, his education will allow him to succeed off the court. He’ll likely be majoring in business in college and views sports management as a potential career option down the line.
“My parents were strict about grades. Bringing home a C meant not playing basketball and that was out of the question.”
For now, he’s appreciating the moments with his teammates over the last four years. It was difficult for Nique to leave his teammates at the Vanguard School, particularly the other seniors who’ve been his best friends since kindergarten. He’ll remember his last game alongside them. “It was a weird environment,” he recalls, “because we had a limited amount of people allowed in the gym due to the coronavirus. The bench really had to hype everyone up.” Although they weren’t able to come away with a victory, he knows they fought hard and that’s all he could ask for when finishing out his high school career. He continued, “It really wasn’t the way we wanted to end it, but after losing six seniors from the prior year, it was a successful season and I tried to use it as an opportunity to become a leader.”
He also recounts a trip to Orlando, Florida to play in the KSA Holiday Basketball Tournament, saying, “We got a chance to hang out at the hotel, eat gelato and get access to Universal Studios every day as part of playing in the event. We bonded as a team on and off the court. It was even more special because we worked hard fundraising to get the opportunity to travel there.” Lastly, he recalls the state championship playoffs at Denver University during his junior year. Says Nique, “We were up at the end of three quarters and had outplayed them, but just couldn’t hold on. Even with that though, it was a moment that unified us and an experience we won’t forget.”
It’s those moments that he’ll take with him to the University of Colorado after a long recruiting trail. He doesn’t take that trail for granted, but was relieved when the texts and calls stopped. As Nique put it, “The recruiting process was crazy at first, but I got used to it as it went on. My parents and I would get texts every day and it was at times tiring, but just the opportunity to experience it was pretty sweet.” Even after committing to Colorado, he personally contacted and thanked the coaches who recruited him. He knows those are relationships he can still retain after college.
Before committing to the Buffaloes, Nique weighed all his options and sought out advice from trusted mentors. He spoke with his coach, Randy Perkins, the father of former Gonzaga guard Josh Perkins and his trainer JJ Brimble. Both had sons who went through the recruiting process and advised him on things he should keep an eye out for during recruiting visits. They helped him decipher if a recruiter was being transparent and even utilized their contacts to encourage college coaches to come watch him play. He also spoke with University of Wyoming guard Hunter Maldonado and future Colorado teammate D’Shawn Schwartz. Both grew up alongside Nique in Colorado Springs.
As to why Nique chose Colorado, there were a few principal reasons, among them being the coaching staff. Coaches Tad Boyle and Mike Rohn kept constant communication. They spoke about his role for the team next year and their vision for him in the future. They made him feel at home and he knew it was the best fit for him and his family. Says Nique, “Playing at Colorado allows me to get a good education, be close to my family, and play in competitive games every night.” He knows he thrives when he’s playing at that high level of competition and can fulfill his highest potential by being consistently challenged.
Nique understands that accompanying that competition level is a brighter spotlight, but he’s ready for that pressure. With his father growing up in Pasadena, California, he grew up a die-hard Lakers fan. Now, he tries to emulate his childhood role model, Kobe Bryant’s mindset. From Bryant’s “mamba mentality of being unafraid to guard anyone” down to his shoe choice, Nique has studied his game more than any other player.
He knows that with that added pressure will also come criticism. Yet he’s learned not to be too sensitive when hearing opinions. He doesn’t listen to the hype and rankings. He’ll continue to put in the work and earn everything he receives. Much of that effort is due to being his own harshest critic. Says Nique, “I already know when I’ve played badly. At that point I’m trying to find out how to improve and find the things I can do better. I’m not going to lie. I’m sometimes too hard on myself.” Even after wins, he’ll think about what he could have done better that night. He’ll do what he can though to avoid visible frustration with himself and finds comfort knowing he and his teammates fought hard every night.
During those overly-critical times, his dad has been his equalizer and greatest supporter. Says Nique, “He’ll offer his criticism after a game, but he’s the person who brings me up when I’m down.” His friends also do their best to encourage him. Even with the heightened publicity, they still view him as the kid they grew up with. They still poke fun at him and tell him “he sucks and do things that friends do to get your mind off a tough night.” If that doesn’t work, he’ll clear his mind with some “Lil Baby, Call of Duty, and grandma’s home cooking.”
It’s this atmosphere at home that Nique has treasured. “Not every kid has the support at home that I do,” Nique admits, “a lot of kids don’t have a place to go and can’t get scholarships or afford to go to college.” As a result, the Boys and Girls Club has become a program he’s passionate about, adding, “when I won Gatorade Player of the Year, I got the chance to donate to the Boys and Girls Club. I remember starting to go through the recruiting process. I went with one of my dad’s friends to a Boys and Girls Club event for Kid of the Year. It felt good giving back.” For Nique, the opportunity to “keep kids off the street by giving them a place to go and get tutored” is a meaningful way he can impact his community.
It’s that community that Nique is looking to make proud. Although he admits he would’ve “done just fine out of state,” he knows there’s just no place like home.