Tag: donovan clingan

Rockets’ Reed Sheppard selected to win Rookie of the Year by executives in ESPN poll

Rockets guard Reed Sheppard was voted the top choice to win Rookie of the Year by executives and scouts in a poll conducted by ESPN.

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard was voted the top choice to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award by a panel of executives and scouts in a poll conducted by ESPN.

The 20 individuals polled were asked a number of questions about the incoming rookie class, such as the best player and the biggest steal of the draft. They were also asked about the draft expanding to a two-day format, which received a positive reaction.

Sheppard received seven votes from the panel, while Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey garnered four votes and San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle had three votes.

Who’s your NBA Rookie of the Year pick?

  1. Reed Sheppard, Rockets: 7 votes
  2. Zach Edey, Grizzlies: 4
  3. Stephon Castle, Spurs: 3
  4. Donovan Clingan, Trail Blazers: 2
  5. Zaccharie Risacher, Hawks: 1
  6. Ron Holland II, Pistons: 1
  7. Dalton Knecht, Lakers: 1
  8. Tristan da Silva, Orlando Magic: 1

Sheppard debuted with the Rockets in the NBA Summer League, averaging 20 points, 5.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.3 blocked shots on 50% shooting from the field in four games. He was named to the NBA All-Summer League first team and finished ninth in scoring.

The third pick is second in odds to win Rookie of the Year, narrowly trailing only Risacher. He looked to be one of the top rookies on the court in the desert and proved himself as a high draft pick in a small sample size with the Rockets.

The odds will certainly continue to fluctuate over the course of the upcoming season, which tips off on Oct. 25. However, Sheppard and the rest of the players on the list established themselves as the top players thus far and should be in store for strong rookie campaigns.

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Rockets’ Sheppard, Heat’s Ware headline NBA All-Summer League first team

Rockets guard Reed Sheppard and Heat center Kel’el Ware headlined the players named to the 2024 NBA All-Summer League first team.

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard and Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware headlined the players named to the 2024 NBA All-Summer League first team on Monday.

Sheppard averaged 20 points, 5.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.3 blocked shots on 50% shooting from the field in four games in Las Vegas, Nevada. The third pick finished ninth in scoring among players with at least two appearances.

Ware is averaging 17.4 points, eight rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 assists on 58.6% shooting from the field in five games. He has registered three double-doubles, and he has one game left to play on Monday in the summer league championship.

Joining Sheppard and Ware on the NBA All-Summer League first team were Memphis Grizzlies guards GG Jackson II (20.8 points, 8.4 rebounds) and Scotty Pippen Jr. (20 points), and LA Clippers guard Jordan Miller (25.4 points).

On the second team: Washington Wizards guard Carlton Carrington (15.8 points, 7.4 rebounds), Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (nine points, 12.3 rebounds), Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker (18 points) and Brooklyn Nets guard Jalen Wilson (21.8 points).

Wilson was named the Most Valuable Player.

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Donovan Clingan blocks five shots in first half in Summer League loss

Former UConn center Donovan Clingan is a shot blocking machine so far with Portland in the NBA Summer League.

Heading into Friday’s contest, former UConn star Donovan Clingan was averaging 4.3 blocks per game – the highest average in Summer League history.

‘Cling Kong’ wasted no time increasing that number, blocking five shots in the first half of Portland’s loss to Charlotte – once again looking like a dominant enforcer around the rim.

Clingan finally had an offensive breakout as well, scoring 16 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in his finest all-around performance as a pro.

The 7’2 big man from UConn also displayed an outside shot, knocking down a pair of threes on seven attempts as he works to add that versatility to his game ahead of his first NBA season.

Clingan was the seventh player selected in the 2024 NBA draft, and he heads to a Portland franchise that has an established starting center in DeAndre Ayton and a young, high-upside core of guards in Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Anfernee Simons.

While Zach Edey drew most of the headlines for his excellent first Summer League game a few weeks ago, Clingan already looks like an All-Defensive caliber rim protector – and while his shooting percentages leave quite a bit to be desired, the way he moves without the basketball, his passing and screen setting skills, and developing outside shot give him sky-high potential.

Developing behind Ayton and growing with this young core in Rip City could be the perfect scenario for the native of Bristol, who has a very good chance of becoming the best NBA player in this draft class.

San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle on facing former teammate Donovan Clingan in summer league

“It’s great practice to go against a guy like that,” said Castle.

Donovan Clingan knows from personal experience how hard it can be to keep new San Antonio Spurs combo guard Stephon Castle in front of him. They won an NCAA title together at the University of Connecticut together this spring, after all.

And when the former Huskies faced off as opponents in the NBA for the first time in Las Vegas Summer League this past Saturday (July 13), Castle went off, helping push the Spurs to a win with his play on both ends. “I know what kind of player Stephon is,” said Clingan via the San Antonio Express-News’ Tom Orsborne. “I was not surprised.”

And while Clingan did not have a similarly efficient night on offense, he did make Castle’s night a hard one around the cup. “That’s what he does,” said Castle of his former UConn teammate’s performance with the Portland Trail Blazers. “He protects the rim, so I don’t expect anything less from him.”

“It’s great practice to go against a guy like that,” added the San Antonio rookie. “He’s a high-level shot blocker.”

“I know I am going to see a lot of that this upcoming season. To have that trial and error, it was a good experience for me.”

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Spurs have conducted interview with UConn big man Donovan Clingan

The San Antonio Spurs have conducted a predraft interview with UConn big man Donovan Clingan.

The NBA draft is a mere two days away and teams are beginning to finalize their plans for what should be an exciting night for everybody involved.

The San Antonio Spurs are going to be a team that will attract a lot of attention as the NBA world is very curious to see what they plan to do. They have a generational talent in Victor Wembanyama who is set to enter his second season in the league so the Spurs need to nail down the right picks.

Per ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, the Spurs have even gone as far as interviewing UConn big man Donovan Clingan. However, it is for a very interesting reason:

San Antonio has expressed increasing interest in Clingan as of late, even going as far as interviewing him in recent days to get to know him better. Some think this might be a case of the Spurs signaling to rivals that the No. 4 pick is where they need to get to if they want to draft Clingan, as opposed to real interest in a fascinating twin-towers lineup with the 7-foot-3 UConn champion and 7-foot-5 Victor Wembanyama.

Clingan averaged 13.0 points and 7.4 rebounds along with 2.5 blocks in the 2023-24 season with the Huskies. He is a 2-time national champion so he understands what it takes to win and succeed in the game of basketball. He isn’t much of a shooter, but the idea of pairing him with Wembanyama is a very interesting one.

With that being said, as Givony and Woo mentioned, the Spurs are likely using this as a signal to some teams that they will have to trade up to grab Clingan. San Antonio could trade down if it feels the need to due to owning the No. 8 pick in the draft as well.

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Report: Grizzlies, Hornets seeking trade with Rockets for No. 3 pick; Marcus Smart of interest

Memphis and Charlotte are interested in trading for the No. 3 draft pick, Kelly Iko reports, with veteran Marcus Smart of some interest to Houston.

Memphis and Charlotte are the teams most aggressively calling the Houston Rockets in pursuit of a trade for the No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NBA draft, The Athletic’s Kelly Iko reports.

The Grizzlies and Hornets are currently slotted at No. 9 and No. 6 in the first-round order, so a trade could potentially include that pick and some form of further sweetener in exchange for the No. 3.

Iko writes:

The Grizzlies and Hornets, in particular, have been rather aggressive in their hopes of acquiring the No. 3 pick, sources said.

Both general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka are fans of veteran guard Marcus Smart, league sources said. Is there a possibility Memphis could entice Houston by offering Smart in addition to the No. 9 pick and future assets, to move up and grab [Donovan] Clingan if he isn’t already gone? Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht, who has fans within the Rockets organization, could be available if Houston were to move back.

Smart was a starter for Udoka’s 2021-22 Celtics, when they reached the 2022 NBA Finals and won the Eastern Conference. He won the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award for that season.

Now 30 years old, Smart should have at least a few prime playing years left. Because of that, Memphis isn’t likely to treat him as a throw-in to a potential deal. Thus, whether such a trade is possible could come down to what names are on the board at the No. 3 slot.

For example, Iko writes that Clingan — a strong, rim-protecting center out of Connecticut — could make sense for the Grizzlies. However, if Clingan is off the board, it’s unclear whether a proposal from Memphis would include an asset as desirable as Smart.

The first round takes place next Wednesday night, June 26.

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Report: Donovan Clingan believed to lead Rockets’ 2024 draft board

“Donovan Clingan is gaining momentum as the No. 1 prospect for the Rockets,” The Athletic’s Kelly Iko reports ahead of next week’s NBA draft.

With Rockets head coach Ime Udoka playing a key role in decisions, Connecticut center Donovan Clingan is believed to be the current leader on Houston’s big board for the 2024 NBA draft.

The Rockets are slotted to pick at No. 3 overall, and it’s entirely possible that Clingan could be selected by Atlanta at No. 1 or Washington at No. 2. That would take Clingan off the board.

But if he’s not, it appears the Rockets are very serious about Clingan, themselves — even when considering the presence of Alperen Sengun as the team’s established starting center.

The Athletic’s Kelly Iko reports:

With Udoka’s presence a significant factor in decision-making, various league sources believe Houston’s big board planning involves three branches in addition to the other respected voices in the war room:

  1. The upside and positional versatility angle, spearheaded by Stone.
  2. The analytical angle, courtesy of assistant general manager Eli Witus.
  3. The win-now, defensive-oriented angle, from Udoka.

There are a few prospects who theoretically fit in at least two of these three categories but in recent days, Clingan and [Reed] Sheppard have separated themselves from the likes of Stephon Castle, [Alex] Sarr, and [Zaccharie] Risacher on Houston’s big board, league and team sources said. Clingan, the 20-year-old big man, is believed to be the current leader, seen as the only player who fits all three categories.

Sheppard, a guard from Kentucky, is expected to visit the Rockets for a private workout by the end of this week, Iko reports.

The first round will take place next Wednesday night, June 26.

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The latest NBA mock draft from The Athletic has Donovan Clingan going No. 1 overall to the Hawks

Is Donovan Clingan good enough to be a No. 1 overall pick?

Well this would be spicy on NBA Draft night.

There’s been some buzz about Donovan Clingan as a possible No. 1 pick but not a ton of mock draft love getting him to the Atlanta Hawks.

In our latest NBA mock from Bryan Kalbrosky, he’s at No. 7 to the Portland Trail Blazers. But in the latest from The Athletic, Sam Vecenie has him going as the top pick to the Hawks, who may want the best player available in what’s looking like a weak draft class.

Why would the UConn big man go at that point? Here’s what Vecenie had to say about it:

Clingan is the name I have heard linked with the Hawks most often over this past week. He wouldn’t be the sexiest pick, but would fill a few objectives for Atlanta. Firstly, the organization has not yet shown any indication of rebuilding, so it might prefer to select a player who can fit with its roster sooner rather than later. Secondly, coach Quin Snyder had success in Utah building around an elite big man screener and rim protector in Rudy Gobert. Clingan, who impressed in a recent workout for Atlanta, would provide the Hawks a potentially dominant interior presence and high-character big locked up for the near term.

Intriguing! Check out our latest NBA mock draft, the latest “consensus” mock draft showing who all the experts are picking, and the official draft order.

How well would University of Connecticut big man Donovan Clingan fit on the San Antonio Spurs?

There has even been chatter of San Antonio moving up in the draft to take the UConn big man, but would that make sense?

How well would University of Connecticut big man Donovan Clingan fit on the San Antonio Spurs? The Spurs have two picks in the 2024 NBA draft lottery, Nos. 4 and 8 to use on the NCAA champion center, should he still be on the board when they are selecting.

As far as the fit and need, San Antonio would likely want more of a bruiser like Clingan at the 5, and adding another shot-blocking 7-footer would make the Spurs one of the most fearsome frontcourts in recent memory. There has even been chatter of San Antonio moving up in the draft to take the UConn big man, but would that make sense?

The host of the “Locked On Spurs” podcast, Jeff Garcia, recently took some time to sit down with Jack Thompson, formerly with San Antonio Sports Star, to talk about the Spurs taking Clingan.

Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say.

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Rob Dillingham is among the second group of players invited to the draft green room

Dillingham conducted his required combine testing on Friday, clearing the way for him to become eligible to be selected in the draft.

Former Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham reportedly conducted his required combine testing, clearing the way for him to become eligible to be selected in the 2024 NBA draft.

Dillingham wasn’t able to participate in on-court testing last month at the combine because of an ankle injury. He was cleared this week from the injury and completed the requirements in front of teams on Friday at the Los Angeles Lakers‘ practice facility.

The 19-year-old was among the second group of prospects who received invitations from the NBA to attend the draft in the green room on June 26-27 at the Barlcays Center in Brooklyn, New York, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Teams with first-round picks each year vote on the players they believe will be drafted early, typically the top 20-25 prospects. Last year, 25 prospects were invited to the green room and only one wasn’t selected in the first round (Rayan Rupert, 43rd overall pick).

Included in the second batch of invitations were Serbian guard Nikola Topić, Duke players Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski, Miami forward Kyshawn George, USC guard Isaiah Collier, Baylor center Yves Missi and Kansas forward Johnny Furphy.

The first group of players invited to the green room included French players Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr and Tidjane Salaün; UConn players Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle; G League Ignite players Matas Buzelis and Ron Holland; and Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard.

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