Now that we’ve covered the Huskies' most vaunted recruiting class in over a decade player-by-player in detail, it’s time we move on to the rest of the roster. As fun as it is to look forward to the shiny, new freshman who haven’t set foot on a college court, the growth and development of the team’s returners is just as–or more–important. This is especially true when every returner also owns a national championship ring.
The obvious place to start is with the player slated to make the biggest jump this year: sophomore Donovan Clingan. A product of Bristol, CT, the hometown kid impressed everyone earlier than anticipated. What did he do last year and what strides will he take? Let's take a look.
LAST SEASON
At the top of the depth chart in the center position last year was Adama Sanogo, who finished the campaign with an All-Big East first team selection and Final Four MOP recognition. As a freshman, that’s tough to compete with. Clingan played just 13 minutes per game, but he was incredibly effective in the small sample size. He notched 6.9 points, 5.6 boards and 1.8 blocks, which produced per-40 minute statistics that were as good as anyone in the country.
For the team, Clingan was the perfect compliment to Sanogo. He played his minutes with a lot of energy and got the team amped up when he succeeded. On offense, the center was limited mostly to close lay-ins, dunk from dump-offs and alley oops. He was particularly effective in the pick and roll, the setup for many of his slams. As the tallest person on the floor for almost every second he played, scoring from those areas isn’t a surprise. He also did so at a high rate, connecting on over 65% of his attempts. He only took a small handful of shots outside the paint (eight), so these numbers are still impressive, but not shocking.
Clingan was also a beast on the offensive glass. In his short minutes, he still managed to grab 2.2 rebounds a game, a figure that put him just outside the top 100 nationally. That led to high-percentage shots and more opportunities for the team, yet another thing that added the Huskies’ explosive offense.
On defense, Clingan was a menace. His aforementioned block stats put him in the top 20 in the country. It’s hard not to beat this into the ground, but keep in mind he did so in just 13 minutes per game. Clingan accumulated a lot of stats that would have been impressive had he done so in starter’s minutes, but it’s all the crazier that he needed such little time.
UNDERLYING QUESTIONS
There are two big differences to look for with Clingan’s production and the first is obvious. Can he replicate his numbers, but on the scale of starter’s minutes? This season, the sophomore is slated to be on the floor for twice as long. While it’s unlikely that he’ll post 13, 11 and 4 on a nightly basis, it may not be too far from that. The biggest determinant of how good Clingan will be is if he can match his efficiency from last year.
The next big question is whether Clingan is ready to take–and make–three point jumpers. In high school, he wasn’t afraid to pull, but he took just one as a freshman and it was in a late-clock situation. It sounds like Clingan will be granted the green light to take at least a few per game this year, so if he can hit shots at a decent rate, that would be a huge difference for the team. To have a 7-2 center able to stretch the floor would not only make the team potentially unstoppable, but would also skyrocket his draft stock.
FLOOR
Clingan’s floor this year still has him starting throughout the year. Unless freshman Youssouf Singare is a massive surprise and Clingan regresses, he has a place in the lineup. Worst case scenario involves a sophomore slump that stems from an inability to adjust to being the top target on the opponent’s scouting report. It’s one thing to succeed in limited minutes with a top player nationally drawing all of the scouting, but it’s another to be the focus of attention. At worst, Clingan goes for an 8-7-2 line. With his skill set though, dropping to the floor seems unlikely, but in college basketball, you truly never know.
CEILING
It’s hard to overstate just how high the ceiling is on Clingan. If everything comes together perfectly, he’s looking at a short UConn career, but one that matches up against the best of all time. He’s got a great shot at Big East Player of the Year and will likely be a lottery pick if all goes to plan. He has a unique set of attributes that could come together very favorably for the Huskies. Keeping his conditioning down pat and developing his three point shot will be the key to an All-American-caliber season. The ceiling is 20-12-5 and he could be the best player on a national championship squad. It’s unlikely that he reaches heights so lofty, but getting close would mean incredible things for his development and the team.
--------------------------------------------------------------
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
