Clippers Guard Kobe Sanders Averages 11 Points in Second Season

Clippers guard Kobe Sanders is averaging 11 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.3 steals in the first seven games of his second professional season. This production represents a sharp increase from his rookie year, when he averaged 7.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists over 68 games. Sanders scored a career-high 26 points in the Clippers' 125-118 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Monday night.

Sanders entered the league as a late second-round selection out of the University of Nevada. He began his career on a two-way contract and earned a promotion to a standard NBA deal by February of last season. In July, the team signed him to a four-year contract worth $11.2 million. Sanders credited the pressure of that early stage with driving his development, noting that most of the stress he felt was self-imposed.

His approach to the new season differs from that of his teammate Keaton Wagler, the No. 5 overall pick in the June draft. Wagler, a 6-foot-5, 188-pound guard from Illinois, entered the league at age 19 with high expectations. Sanders, who is 6-foot-8, sees similarities in their builds and attitudes but notes the difference in their draft positions. Wagler has made 39 of 46 free throw attempts this season, shooting 84.8%.

Sanders has relied on veterans Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. for guidance. Both players navigated similar transitions from G League or non-traditional paths to the NBA. Dunn, the No. 5 pick in the 2016 draft, signed a three-year, $16.3 million contract with the Clippers in 2024. Sanders said he leaned on their defensive focus to accelerate his own learning curve.

"Just knowing how to play a role and adapting from the role in college you played, where you're the main guy, to coming to the NBA where you're not," Sanders said. He added that seeking advice from players with similar backgrounds helped him manage expectations during his first year.

Sanders missed the training camp and preseason due to a hip impingement sustained during a workout. He now aims to develop into a two-way player who can excel on offense and defense. Assistant coach Brian Shaw described Sanders as a talented ball handler who is putting in the necessary work. Shaw stated, "When you pay your dues, your dues will pay you back. I think he's a perfect example of that."

The Clippers are scheduled to host the Miami Heat on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Intuit Dome. The game will be broadcast on Clippervision and 570 AM. Sanders plans to continue observing Wagler's development as he works to maintain his own momentum.

Sanders described his goal as becoming a reliable catch-and-shoot threat on offense while bringing defensive intensity. He noted that his potential as a two-way player is the primary focus of his current training regimen.