Connecticut native Donovan Clingan selected at No. 7 in the first round of NBA Draft
Donovan Clingan, a native of Bristol, Connecticut, who began his high school career at Bristol Central was selected No. 7 in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft by the Portland Trailblazers on Wednesday night.
The big man was a key cog in the middle for the Huskies' 2023-2024 NCAA championship team.
Sweet dreams, Rip City ❤️ pic.twitter.com/EvmB6XySjK
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) June 27, 2024
Standing at 7-foot-2, 282 pounds, Clingan gives the Trailblazers scoring, rebounding and rim protection moving forward after the kind of numbers he put up last season at UConn.
Clingan this past season for the Huskies averaged 13 points, 7.4 rebounds and blocked 2.5 shots per game. The center appeared in 35 games for the Huskies, shooting 63.9 percent from the field and was 58.3 from the free throw line.
During his high school playing days, Clingan was a dominant force on the Connecticut prep scene. The center averaged 27.3 points, 17.2 rebounds, and 5.8 blocks per game as a junior and was named the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year. The following campaign, Clingan repeated once again as the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior after averaging 30.3 points, 18.4 rebounds, and 6.2 blocks per game.
On July 2, 2021, he committed to playing college basketball for UConn over offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Georgetown, Syracuse, Providence, and Rutgers.
ANDY VILLAMARZO