The 2024 NBA Draft will take place over two days, with the first round kicking off on Wednesday, June 26. Center Donovan Clingan, fresh off of his second consecutive national championship with the Connecticut Huskies, expects to have his name called early Wednesday evening.
CBS’ mock draft sees Clingan going third overall, Yahoo! Sports has him getting selected fifth, and The Ringer sees him dropping to seventh. Clingan spent two years at UConn before declaring for the NBA Draft.
Donovan Clingan Draft Profile
Clingan is one of the best prospects of this year’s draft class coming out of college. The 20-year-old stands at 7-foot-2, and led the 2023-24 national titleholders in rebounds with 7.4 per game and in blocks with 2.5 per game. He also averaged 13 points a night last season.
While Clingan played behind Adama Sanogo in the 2022-23 season, he came into his own as a full-time starter in his sophomore year. A foot injury kept him out for a few games mid-season, but he did not sustain any apparent lasting effects in the following months.
Clingan shared the court with the strongest all-around team in the country last year, which may have prevented him from getting his individual flowers. He was named as an AP All-American honorable mention.
Strengths
Clingan’s size is his most obvious strength on the court. He stands above seven feet tall and boasts a seven-foot-seven wingspan, and he has the bodily control to effectively protect the rim and grab boards on both ends of the court. He is one of the best defenders in this draft class in the paint, and his quick feet and long limbs allow him to be everywhere at once on the court. He is dependable on both offense and defense, fighting for second-chance shots and using his height to defend the basket down low without resorting to fouling.
Weaknesses
Clingan’s weaknesses are few and far between for his position. However, Clingan lacks presence on the perimeter, even though it isn’t often demanded of him – he has weak three-point shooting and his outside defense leaves something to be desired. However, his most glaring weakness lies at the charity stripe: he shot 57.4% from the free throw line last season.
Player comparison: Marc Gasol
While Clingan may never have the offensive production of Gasol, his size and defensive presence will make him a dependable mainstay in the paint wherever he ends up.