Donovan Clingan Is Bringing His Intruging Skillset To The Biggest Stage
National Championship runs can be invaluable to NBA Draft prospects. In addition to vying for one of sport's most coveted titles, these players will almost always experience a significant draft stock boost for shining on the biggest stage.
Last year, Kansas stars Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun experienced this. Agbaji sprung into a lottery selection, and Braun went not far behind at pick No. 21. The year prior, Davion Mitchell was off the board with the ninth pick after co-leading Baylor’s title quest.
This year’s tournament has been all about UConn. Their five wins this tournament have all been via blowout; tonight, they play San Diego State for the National Championship. Consequentially, the Huskies' star prospects, Jordan Hawkins and Andre Jackson Jr., have strengthened their profiles. These guys were already primed to be selected on draft night this June, but due to their March Madness, they can become ambitious with their expectations. Hawkins is making a late run at the lottery, and by the day, Jackson Jr. is looking more likely to be a first-round pick.
However, throughout UConn’s run, the biggest winner has been freshman Donovan Clingan.
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Just a couple of weeks ago, very few regarded Clingan as a legitimate 2023 prospect. He was always impactful in his limited minutes behind superstar Adama Sanogo, but the consensus was that the center would need to return (and maybe transfer) to truly establish himself. But in front of every scout’s set of eyes, his recent performances have begun to shift the narrative.
Headlined by his defensive dominance, the 7-foot-2 big man is an incredible blend of size, mobility, quickness, timing, and coordination. Clingan flies around the court with his 7-foot-7 wingspan and 9-foot-6 standing reach to fortify the rim. Not only is he massive, but the Bristol native also has pristine timing on his contests, tracks the ball with precision, and covers ground in a hurry. Clingan leads all high major freshmen in block percentage and deters countless other attempts as well. Moreover, unlike most towering paint protectors, he has the footspeed and quickness to thrive in various different coverages.
Clingan has gained some buzz as a potential first-round guy should he declare this year, but more time is needed for him to be slated into a projected draft range. I would strongly consider taking him in the lottery of this year’s draft. He’s that good defensively.
It may be wiser for Clingan to return to college to further solidify his draft stock; a lot still needs to play out. In the meantime, we can look forward to his National Championship performance tonight.
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