With the No. 7 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Portland Trail Blazers picked former UConn Basketball star big man Donovan Clingan.
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In a draft heavy on talent in the frontcourt, Donovan Clingan has more than earned his spot among the top of the position. In two years as a Husky, the Connecticut-native has checked most of the boxes one could hope for in that career. He loaded up two championships for the program and like Castle, demonstrated a great deal of patience.
Clingan, who could have started on a number of other top-25 teams from the jump, played just 13.1 minutes per game last year. In that limited time, he was one of the most efficient players in the country, setting the stage for an excellent second year.
He lived up to the hype, starting every game he played en route to the title. His averages amounted to 13 points and 7 boards per game in 22.6 minutes of action, but he raised his game in the tournament. It peaked during a 22 point, 10 rebound, 5 block game against Illinois in the Elite Eight and he continued to play well into the Final Four weekend.
Clingan brings many tools a team could want in a center, with his size, excellent mobility/range, rim protection and more. His biggest deficits are a proven 3-point shot and proof that he can be effective in NBA minutes in a full NBA season. He played 790 minutes this past campaign, which is well under half of what a pro team would hope he would play over the course of a season. If his body holds up, he’ll be a force for a long time.
TEAM FIT: TRAIL BLAZERS
Portland is one of the locations that makes more sense for Clingan, a team that doesn’t have a ton of clear direction for their future at the center position. Currently they have Robert Williams III and Deandre Ayton, but both are only under contract for another two years.
The Blazers have a lot of young talent in the backcourt with Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe and last year’s No. 2 pick, Scoot Henderson. What they really needed was rim protection that they can rely on in the long run. While Clingan might not be the flashiest player, he delivers on it.
He probably won’t start next year with Ayton and Williams still in the fold, but his time will come soon enough. He’ll have a chance to adjust to the NBA, get his body acquainted with the needs of the long season and will be ready when he’s at the top of the depth chart.
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