Undrafted free agent Chris Clemons was the NCAA’s leading scorer last year and is the third-highest scorer in D1 college basketball history.

The guard had one of the most diverse scoring portfolios in the country for the Campbell Fighting Camels. He ranked No. 4 overall in points per game (4.1) against one-on-one competition and No. 12 overall (6.6 PPG) used as the primary ballhandler in a pick-and-roll offense. The former Campbell star was also efficient as a spot-up shooter and when shooting off screens and on handoffs.

He tested with a 42.5-inch max vertical at the 2019 G League Elite Camp, which would have actually been the second-best among all prospects at the NBA Combine. His three-quarter sprint (3.08 seconds) would have ranked Top 5 among all participants as well.

Clemons scored 25 points in his summer league debut for the Houston Rockets, connecting on 7 buckets from beyond the arc. During his second game on July 7, the guard had 22 points and 5 three-pointers. He is averaging 32.5 points and 8.1 three-pointers per 36 minutes, connecting on 47.8 percent of his outside shots.

You were the MVP of the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. What were your biggest takeaways from that experience?

Chris Clemons (Big South Player of the Year) continues to impress even with a 5-foot-9 frame. After averaging 18.3 PPG and taking home MVP at Portsmouth, he led all G League Elite Camp prospects with 17 pts during five-on-five scrimmages. More details: https://t.co/wm5uajOq0w pic.twitter.com/AfZowHAvoY — Bryan Kalbrosky (@BryanKalbrosky) May 13, 2019

CC: It was a great experience, man. It’s obviously a great honor to be invited to something like that. I wanted to show well. That was my first experience at a pro tournament and all the prospects and I were all trying to reach the same level. We were able to showcase our talents for a lot of NBA scouts and GMs in the building. I was blessed to be able to play well.

When you were meeting with teams during the pre-draft process, what did you want them to know about you as a player and as a person?

CC: Just that I am somebody that can help them win games and that’s what every team wants to do — win games and to win championships. So the message I was trying to relay to them is that I’m the guy to help them do that for years and years in the NBA. I’m a great teammate and I can help you win. That’s pretty much the main thing I’m trying to relay to teams and head coaches and GM’s. I can guard my position, I can guard multiple positions, and I can make plays for my teammates and I can score the ball like they already know. Just continuing to do what I do, man, and continue to put in the work.

What kind of feedback did you get from teams during the pre-draft process?

CC: Mainly that I can score the basketball. They wanted to see what I can do for myself and also to be able that I can make plays for other teammates. I was also told to work on being a better defender, which is something that I’ve been working on the past few years because I went through the pre-draft process twice before as well. So honestly I already knew that going in so I’m constantly trying to improve defensively and making plays for other guys and those are the main points they wanted to see me improve in.

How do you feel like you will be able to improve as a defender?

CC: A lot of that is through work and effort. It’s a lot of technical stuff that goes into defense. A lot of knowledge things like being in the right spots, learning how to properly guard ball screens. Especially at the NBA level, it’s a little bit different than college. So it’s learning how to do that. Learning a few techniques, doing it the right way is the key. But a lot of it is through film study, too.

Tell me a little bit about your offense and creating for yourself and for your teammates at such an efficient level.

👀 5’9” Chris Clemons threw down an alley-oop dunk & knocked down 7 3PTS during his 25-PT #NBASummer debut with the @HoustonRockets!! pic.twitter.com/bxqssVfAso — Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) July 7, 2019

CC: Obviously, I can shoot the ball at a high level. I have a lot of range. I just added a mid-range game over the last two years. I’m athletic at the rim, too, and can finish at the rim. As dynamic as I am offensively scoring the basketball, I draw a lot of attention. Just realizing that it’s easier to make plays than to do it myself at some points. Just trying to develop different passes, different reads that I can use to get my teammates open so most of that comes from how dynamic I am on offense, how much of a threat I am. I’m used to drawing so much attention that I’m able to make mentally the next play. That’s what NBA teams want to see.

When it comes to your overall productivity, you had a remarkably successful tenure in college. What accomplishments made you most proud?

CC: I’m proud of the scoring output I was able to end with. I led the nation in scoring and ranked third all-time. That’s something I can really be proud of. But really I was most proud of being able to grow so much as a player and as a person. I learned how to be a pro, how to handle myself and conduct myself around so many people while knowing that I have an influence on so many people around you and trying to be a positive role model for kids.

What are some of your favorite memories that you had in the NCAA?

CC: My last home game, we were playing Radford and it was for the conference championship. It was a packed house, fans were going crazy. We ended up winning that game. That was actually the first time we were able to cut down some nets and that’s definitely my favorite memory.

Are there any players in the NBA, present or past, that you feel your game is patterned more to?

Pat Chambers on Campbell's Chris Clemons, who scored 39 points: "He reminds me a lot of Allen Iverson." — Onward Sports (@OnwardStSports) November 10, 2017

CC: I like a lot of guys. My favorite player growing up was Allen Iverson so I started trying to follow my game after him first and kind of resemble a little bit of Nate Robinson so I’ve heard. Kemba Walker and I are kind of similar in ways. Eric Bledsoe, Donovan Mitchell and guys like that who are explosive at the rim who have a strong build. Donovan is a unique offensive talent so we’re kind of alike in that way. There are a lot of guys who I can pick and choose a lot of different things about them that kind of resemble my game. There’s definitely a mix.

What are some of the ways you’re able to overcome your size to be the most productive NBA player possible?

CC: NBA teams don’t usually don’t ask about my height. Like, they’ve all seen me play and they know what I can do. It hasn’t been a problem for me personally. When I’m playing against taller guys, guys that are more athletic, guys that are longer, I can do what I do against anybody and they know that. I can jump really high and I can compete with anybody so I don’t think it’s a problem for me at all.

What are some of the ways that you like to spend your time when you are not playing basketball?

CC: I play video games and stuff like that with my friends. I like to draw, I like to hang out with my family and play cards. I’m all over the place. We fish, we like to play pool. Me and my friend Nick, we play golf, but not too much. I’m not a very good golfer.

Oh, that’s interesting. What do you like to draw? Does it ever surprise people?

CC: I can pretty much draw anything if I look at it, but I draw people pretty well. So I draw people the most. I usually don’t show people that I can draw so people don’t usually don’t know, but I guess the people who do are kind of shocked. You know, basketball players usually don’t have an artistic side to them so I would say it surprises them.