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UConn star Donovan Clingan will enter the 2024 NBA Draft, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Clingan, a sophomore, will forego the remainder of his college eligibility.
Clingan later confirmed he was declaring for the draft on social media:
Donovan Clingan @clingan_donovan
💙 #32 Out pic.twitter.com/tpD1stCWe5
The 7’2″ center averaged 13 points and 7.4 rebounds per game this year, leading the Huskies to a second straight national title.
After being a key member of the bench during the 2023 national title run, Clingan emerged as a star this season and has now emerged as a projected lottery pick. Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman has Clingan as the projected No. 6 pick in the latest mock draft.
Clingan’s stock has risen over the past month thanks to an outstanding postseason run. In the tournament, he averaged 15.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game. He had games with eight, five and four blocks in the postseason and posted a pair of double-doubles.
His defensive presence is undeniable, and he combines it with fundamental offense in the paint. He shot an efficient 63.9 percent from the field this season, which was the ninth-best mark in college basketball.
Clingan doesn’t possess the offensive skills of many modern big men, keeping his game mostly around the rim. He attempted just a handful of three-pointers last season, and his outside shot could be something he needs to develop to become a star in the league, but his skills around the rim have made him a clear candidate to be a top-10 pick.
In Wasserman’s scouting report of Clingan, he compared him to Jakob Poeltl, Walker Kessler and Ivica Zubac—all of whom have established themselves as solid big men in the league. If Clingan can live up to those comparisons, he would be a no-brainer to take with a top-10 pick.
UConn is riding the high of back-to-back national championships, but the Huskies now have some work to do replacing their talent from last season’s roster. Clingan has already made his decision not to return, and star freshman guard Stephon Castle is likely heading for the draft as well, as he is a projected top-10 pick.
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