When the Portland Trail Blazers selected UConn Huskies center Donovan Clingan at pick No. 7 in the 2024 NBA Draft, they struck gold.
There was substantial discussion that Clingan may be selected first overall rather than Frenchman Zaccharie Risacher, who was ultimately selected by the Hawks to start the evening at Barclays.
Clingan would have been the first UConn men’s basketball player selected in the first round if he had been selected with the first overall choice.
Clingan has already demonstrated his ability to be a pillar of the defense. He can be a rim protector and a rare genuine center in the NBA with his almost 7-foot-7 wingspan. However, in his two college seasons, his offensive game has only gotten better. He’s extremely effective around the rim and has already established himself as a formidable pick-and-roll and inside threat. The previous season, he shot about 64% from the field.
The 20-year-old has played with a grudge against him, bearing the remarks made by those who had questioned him in the past. Clingan told CT Insider last week, “It’s crazy.” “I worked really hard on it. Many others had doubts about me and claimed I wouldn’t succeed since I didn’t transfer to another institution or attend a different high school, and I wasn’t making any progress at UConn. It simply inspires me to keep going and learning, to improve as a person and as a player. I will not give up; instead, I will keep improving as a player.
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Regarding Clingan, Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin stated, “A player we’re really high on, a player we had ranked very highly, a player that we think is going to be a great addition to this franchise for many reasons.” “His winning mindset, defensive prowess, and personality all contribute to his success. Donovan has many positive traits and a very promising future.”
According to Cronin, “Donovan is an interesting defender.” He’s obviously more of a drop big player who performs best around the rim. He is very adept at protecting the rim. However, his feel, IQ, and aptitude for maneuvering, reacting, and playing the perfect angles all help him to modify his depth.
But Claxton’s versatility and ease of guarding smaller players on the perimeter set him apart from many other shot-blocking 5s. Although his 215-pound size may restrict his effectiveness against the burlier big men in the NBA, the lanky and lean Claxton can keep up with more agile guards and wings in space thanks to his quick feet, lateral agility, and athletic burst. He is skilled at stopping playmakers from setting up open looks, directing them into the inside flow, and utilizing his length to retaliate and challenge from behind:
Clingan will be a part of the exciting core that includes Shaedon Sharpe, Deandre Ayton, Scoot Henderson, and Deni Avdija, who was formerly a Washington Wizard.
With their depth in the backcourt, Clingan was without a doubt the Blazers’ ideal choice. He provides a much-needed inside presence on defense while nearly matching the timeframes of Henderson and Sharpe.