page_title: Rotnei Clarke
section_title: Skill set and accolades
hierarchical_section_title: Rotnei Clarke / Skill set and accolades
caption_attribution_description: Rotnei Clarke shoots over a Morgan State defender November 25, 2009
context_page_description: Rotnei Clarke is an American professional basketball player for the Pallacanestro Mantovana of the Italian Serie A2 Basket. He played college basketball for the University of Arkansas and Butler University before beginning his professional career in Australia with the Wollongong Hawks. In his rookie season, he was named the NBL's Most Valuable Player. He went on to play in Belgium and Germany before returning to the Hawks in 2016. He can play both point guard and shooting guard, and is known for his three-point shooting ability.
  During high school, Clarke's sharp shooting and chase for the Oklahoma high-school scoring record attracted large crowds. During his senior year, he led Verdigris High School to the school's first state title. He captured the state scoring record, finishing with more than 3,700 career points. Clarke was highly recruited out of high school, attracting more than 50 college scholarship offers. He selected the Arkansas Razorbacks, joining the team for the 2008–09 season.
  During a game in 2009, Clarke made 13 three-pointers and scored 51 points, setting SEC and team records respectively.
context_section_description: Clarke began high school as a shooting guard, but worked to expand his game. "I [worked] very hard on being able to get my shot off the dribble, hard on driving the basket and on all facet of my game," he said. "I was determined not to be known as just a spot-up shooter."  During the summer AAU season after his sophomore year, he switched to playing the point.  During his three years at Arkansas, Clarke switched back to being a shooting guard.  During his redshirt year at Butler, he ran the point for the scout team.  He handled the task well and became Butler's primary ball-handler for the 2012–13 season, but also played off the ball at times.  On Clarke's transition to point guard and role on the team, Butler assistant coach Michael Lewis remarked, "He's a much better overall basketball player than he was at Arkansas. At the same time, we ... don't want to limit Rotnei Clarke's shot."
  Clarke was named "Metro Boys Player of the Year" three times by Tulsa World.  Prior to college, he was invited to the NBA Players Association Camp, as well as basketball camps run by Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.  During the 2009–10 season, both Fox Sports and ESPN's Andy Katz rated Clarke as the best shooter in college basketball.  During the 2010–11 season, Clarke was ranked the nation's second best shooter by Athlon.
  Prior to the 2012–13 season, USA Today's Big Lead Sports ranked Clarke as the 35th best player in college basketball.  That same season, Jay Bilas described Clarke as the nation's top three-point shooter.  He was selected as a finalist for the 2013 Naismith College Player of the Year.  On Clarke, Stevens commented: "It's arguable who is the best standstill three-point shooter, but I don't know that there's anybody I've ever seen in the last three years who can make so many tough threes with just a sliver of daylight."  Clarke's catch-to-shot-release time has been clocked at 0.6 seconds.
  Clarke is often referred to as a "gym rat" because of his work ethic.  During high school, a typical workout would involve 500 made three-pointers, 200 made free throws, numerous mid-range jumpshots, weight-lifting, sprinting and ball-handling drills.  Sessions could last four hours or more.  "You learn to shoot when you're fatigued," says Clarke.  "If you want something bad enough, you will work as hard as you can to get there."  Stevens credits Clarke's work ethic for motivating the rest of the team. "Our team gets in the gym twice as much because of Rotnei's presence," Stevens declared. "He is the ultimate gym rat."
caption: Clarke shoots over a Morgan State defender on November 25, 2009
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