Donovan Clingan has stayed home in Connecticut throughout his basketball journey. For his next stop, he’ll be taking his talents to the northwest.
Clingan, a two-time national champion at UConn and a former star at Bristol Central High School in Connecticut, was selected with the No. 7 overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers in Wednesday’s NBA Draft. The 7-foot-1 center was the defensive anchor of UConn’s historically dominant run over the last two years, and wants to bring that mindset to the rebuilding Blazers.
“I just want to win,” Clingan told ESPN moments after being drafted. “I just want to keep winning. I’m never going to be satisfied for where I’ve been, so I’m just going to keep going. I’m going to keep trying to get better, I’m going to keep learning and I’m just going to try to be the best player I can every day.”
Clingan is one of the best defensive prospects and rim protectors in this class, and that's where his immediate impact will come at the next level. He saved his best for last at UConn this spring, when he was named the East region’s Most Outstanding Player on the Huskies’ run to their second consecutive national championship. He averaged 15.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game during the NCAA Tournament.
