Tag: donovan clingan

UConn sophomore Alex Karaban to declare for NBA draft, retain eligibility

Karaban helped the Huskies to their second straight title, averaging 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds on 37.9% shooting from 3-point range.

UConn sophomore Alex Karaban announced Thursday on social media that he will declare for the 2024 NBA draft while retaining his remaining college eligibility.

Karaban helped the Huskies to their second straight championship after averaging 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists on 37.9% shooting from 3-point range. He produced eight 20-point games, including a season-high 26 points and seven rebounds on Dec. 9.

The 21-year-old joins teammate Donovan Clingan in declaring for the draft this year, while Stephon Castle, Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer are also expected to enter. Clingan and Castle are projected to be lottery picks.

Karaban isn’t projected to be drafted, though he will have the opportunity to improve his stock in team interviews and workouts. He could also be invited to compete in the G League Elite Camp or draft combine next month in Chicago, Illinois.

He has until May 29 to withdraw from the draft and return to school.

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Donovan Clingan: NBA Draft scouting report and intel

2004 | 7’2 | 7’7 WS | 280 LBS Team: Connecticut Best aggregate mock draft rank: 7 / Worst rank: 19 2023-24 stats: In the 2023-24 season, Clingan played 33 games averaging 22.1 minutes per game. He scored 12.9 points per game, shooting 64.3 percent …

2004 | 7’2 | 7’7 WS | 280 LBS

Team: Connecticut

Best aggregate mock draft rank: 7 / Worst rank: 19

2023-24 stats:

In the 2023-24 season, Clingan played 33 games averaging 22.1 minutes per game. He scored 12.9 points per game, shooting 64.3 percent from the field, 28.6 percent from three, and 57.4 percent from the free-throw line. Additionally, he recorded 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.5 blocks, 0.5 steals, 2.0 personal fouls, and 0.8 turnovers per game.

His late mother, Stacey Clingan, played college basketball for the University of Maine.

San Antonio takes NCAA title tilt big man in new mock draft

In this mock, the Spurs take a rebounding machine who blocks shots like a Prohibitionist.

The San Antonio Spurs are on the hunt for the ideal player to pair with Victor Wembanyama in the 2024 NBA draft, and the folks over at the Ringer think they know just the prospect. A 7-foot-2 big man reminiscent of a more mobile Jakob Poeltl, freshly-crowned, back-to-back NCAA title-winner Donovan Clingan of UConn next to Wemby would make for a terrifying frontcourt of the future for the Spurs.

“Clingan rose up the rankings throughout the college season, and with UConn back in the Final Four, he has played himself into the top-three conversation,” writes the Ringer of the potential pairing.

“Pairing Clingan with … Wembanyama would give the Spurs a terrifying frontcourt that could shut down the paint for a decade.”

A rebounding machine who blocks shots like a Prohibitionist, Clingan’s 7-foot-7 wingspan and near-basket game are his selling points. And he’s shot 3s at the high school level, so there may be a chance for him to grow his jumper at the NBA level.

His free throw efficiency tells a different tale, and he struggles on defense in space. But with Wemby taking care of that aspect of the game and Clingan roaming near the dunker spot — let’s just say we can also see the vision.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan repeats as national champion

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan repeats as national champion.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to convey to OKC than the latter.

With the NCAA Tournament concluded, top prospects were in the spotlight as they drew national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is UConn center Donovan Clingan, who helped the Huskies win back-to-back championships. He finished with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting and five rebounds in 31 minutes in UConn’s 75-60 win over Purdue in the national championship game on Monday.

In his second season, Clingan has been part of a dominant UConn squad that seeks to repeat as national champions. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 12.5 points on 64% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

At 280 pounds, he has an NBA-ready frame and can give a team a classic rim-running big who can protect the rim. UConn went 31-3 and was the No. 1 seed in the East Region.

The Thunder could envision Clingan adding serious size at center. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups or serve as an efficient backup center for OKC.

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan leads UConn to Final Four win

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan leads UConn to Final Four win.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to convey to OKC than the latter.

With the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament concluded, the top prospects were in the spotlight as they drew national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is UConn center Donovan Clingan. He finished with 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting, five rebounds and four blocks in 29 minutes in UConn’s 86-72 win over Alabama in the Final Four on Saturday.

In his second season, Clingan has been part of a dominant UConn squad that seeks to repeat as national champions. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 12.5 points on 64% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

At 280 pounds, he has an NBA-ready frame and can give a team a classic rim-running big who can protect the rim. UConn went 31-3 and is No. 1 in the East Region.

The Thunder could envision Clingan adding serious size at center. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups or serve as an efficient backup center for OKC.

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The latest 2024 NBA mock draft from ESPN has UConn’s Donovan Clingan in top-3

The UConn big man is skyrocketing up draft boards.

There’s been a lot of buzz about the 2024 NBA Draft and how mocks have players from overseas in a lot of the top spots.

But could one of the breakout stars from March Madness be a lottery pick?

UConn big man Donovan Clingan has made his presence very much felt during the men’s NCAA tournament. In our latest 2024 NBA mock draft from Bryan Kalbrosky, he had Clingan going No. 6 overall to the rebuilding Toronto Raptors. And in the latest ESPN mock, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have him going No. 3 to the Charlotte Hornets.

How could that play out? Here’s their take:

Clingan’s dominance in the Big East championship game and the NCAA tournament has NBA teams asking just how high he could be drafted thanks to his late-season surge after recovering from foot injuries that plagued him early in the campaign. He has upside to tap into with his perimeter shooting, which is a possible part of his game down the road. (The Milwaukee Bucks’ Brook Lopez didn’t start shooting 3s until he was age 28.) One general manager asked ESPN recently, “Rudy Gobert or Donovan Clingan?” regarding who will be the more impactful defensive player, which highlights a college player being compared to a three-time NBA defensive player of the year winner.

There will be plenty of debate between now and June regarding who is the better prospect: Clingan or ESPN’s projected No. 2 pick Alex Sarr. (And Sarr is now firmly in the conversation at No. 1, as well.) Clingan has one or two more games to make his case at the Final Four in Arizona next weekend, and he would surely benefit greatly from a strong showing against Edey should the two meet in the championship game. In a draft lacking in star power at the top, Clingan looks as close to a surefire bet to be a highly productive starter and a major impact performer as you’ll find.

There you have it! Don’t forget to check out our latest NBA Mock Draft from Kalbrosky!

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan leads UConn in win over Illinois

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan leads UConn in win over Illinois.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

With the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament underway, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is UConn center Donovan Clingan. He finished with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, 10 rebounds, five blocks and three steals in 22 minutes in No. 1 UConn’s 77-52 win over No. 3 Illinois in the Elite Eight on Saturday.

In his second season, Clingan has been part of a dominant UConn squad that seeks to repeat as national champions. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 12.5 points on 64% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

At 280 pounds, he has an NBA-ready frame and can give a team a classic rim-running big who can protect the rim. UConn went 31-3 and is No. 1 in the East Region.

The Thunder could envision Clingan adding serious size at center. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups or serve as an efficient backup center for OKC.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan helps UConn in win over San Diego State

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan helps in UConn’s win over San Diego State.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

With the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament underway, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is UConn center Donovan Clingan. He finished with eight points on 4-of-9 shooting, eight rebounds, two assists and one block in 23 minutes in No. 1 UConn’s 82-52 win over No. 5 San Diego State in the Sweet 16 on Thursday.

In his second season, Clingan has been part of a dominant UConn squad that seeks to repeat as national champions. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 12.5 points on 64% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

At 280 pounds, he has an NBA-ready frame and can give a team a classic rim-running big who can protect the rim. UConn went 31-3 and is No. 1 in the East Region.

The Thunder could envision Clingan adding serious size at center. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups or serve as an efficient backup center for OKC.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan dominates in UConn’s win over Northwestern

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan dominates in UConn’s win over Northwestern.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

As the NCAA Tournament progresses, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is UConn center Donovan Clingan. He finished with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, 14 rebounds and eight blocks in 27 minutes in UConn’s 75-58 win over Northwestern in the round of 32 on Sunday.

In his second season, Clingan has been part of a dominant UConn squad that seeks to repeat as national champions. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 12.5 points on 64% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

At 280 pounds, he has an NBA-ready frame and can give a team a classic rim-running big who can protect the rim. UConn went 31-3 and is No. 1 in the East Region.

The Thunder could envision Clingan adding serious size at center. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups or serve as an efficient backup center for OKC.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan leads UConn past Stetson in dominant win

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan leads UConn past Stetson in dominant win.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to go to OKC than the latter.

As the NCAA Tournament progresses, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national eyes for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is UConn center Donovan Clingan. He finished with 19 points on 9-of-11 shooting, eight rebounds and four assists in 20 minutes in No. 1 UConn’s 91-52 win over No. 16 Stetson in the Round of 64 on Friday.

In his second season, Clingan has been part of a dominant UConn squad that seeks to repeat as national champions. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 12.5 points on 64% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

At 280 pounds, he has an NBA-ready frame and can give a team a classic rim-running big who can protect the rim. UConn went 31-3 and is No. 1 in the East Region.

The Thunder could hope to add Clingan to add some serious size at their center spot. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups or serve as an efficient backup center for OKC.

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