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!