Donovan Clingan did more in two years in college than some ever even get the chance to do. That success for him has now continued into his next step as a high draft pick.
The Portland Trailblazers selected Clingan with the No. 7 overall pick of the first round in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Clingan just completed his sophomore season at UConn. In his pair of seasons as a Husky, he appeared in 74 games with him starting 33 of his 35 outings in his second season.
During that collegiate career at Connecticut, Clingan averaged 9.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks while shooting 64.5% from the field. As a starter in ’23-’24, he improved those statistics to 13 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks on 63.9% shooting overall.
Most notably, though, is Clingan playing a major role in consecutive national titles for UConn. The Huskies went 68-11 overall in his two years and won four total championships with a regular-season crown in their conference, a Big East Tournament, and the NCAA Tournament in both 2023 from Houston and 2024 from Phoenix. He was the Most Outstanding Player from the East Region before making the Final Four All-Tournament Team in this year’s bracket.
Clingan, a native of Bristol, Connecticut, played high school basketball at Bristol Central. He was a four-star prospect there as the No. 45 overall recruit in the 2022 cycle. That’s according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He rated as the No. 8 C in the class and the No. 2 player from his state behind only Ugonna Onyenso (Kentucky, Kansas State).
What NBA Draft experts are saying about Donovan Clingan
On3’s James Fletcher noted Clingan’s stock rising over the course of the postseason in his assessment of him as a prospect. That rise put him right in the conversation for the lottery, if not one of the first few picks of the draft.
“Donovan Clingan saw his stock skyrocket during the NCAA Tournament as he increased his minutes and provided UConn a dominant interior presence. However, the journey to becoming one of the top prospects in this class started well before March,” Fletcher wrote. “The 7-foot-2 center has great size and impacts how opponents approach the rim when he is able to camp near the basket. During the national championship run, the biggest improvements were his conditioning and movement.”
“Clingan’s range continues to be a topic of discussion given the centers on each roster of the lottery teams, but trade rumors which have built up steam should get him off the board early regardless,” added Fletcher.
Rotowire also praised what Clingan could be as a major defensive presence for whatever team lands him. That’ll give him a high floor and allow him to make an impact as a pro even with an offensive skillset that is only so effective for now going into the NBA.
“Clingan’s combination of size and defensive awareness makes him one of the best big man prospects in the draft. With a 7-foot-7 wingspan and excellent mobility, Clingan has immense potential as a defender, particularly around the rim. He’s poised to be among the better shot-blockers in the NBA, but could struggle when asked to switch out onto much quicker players,” they wrote. “Offensively, Clingan is relatively limited, but he’s a strong finisher inside with good touch for his size. While he doesn’t have a deep arsenal of post moves, Clingan also doesn’t demand the ball, which should bode well for his future as a low-maintenance, defense-first, lob-finisher at the pro level.”
“Clingan fits the bill of a plug-and-play lottery pick for most teams, even if he’s not a high-minute player right away. His size and length should allow him to patrol the rim at a borderline-elite level in the NBA. However, the jump up in competition could render Clingan less-imposing than he was for a UConn team that often had a significant talent advantage,” they contined. “On the other end of the floor, Clingan’s offensive game remains a major question mark. Clingan rarely shot the ball outside the paint at UConn and is likely years away from developing a reliable jumpshot.”
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