Donovan Clingan

Last updated
Donovan Clingan
Donovan Clingan White House (cropped).jpg
Clingan in 2023
No. 23–Portland Trail Blazers
Position Center
League NBA
Personal information
Born (2004-02-23) February 23, 2004 (age 20)
Bristol, Connecticut, U.S.
Listed height7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
Listed weight282 lb (128 kg)
Career information
High school Bristol Central
(Bristol, Connecticut)
College UConn (2022–2024)
NBA draft 2024: 1st round, 7th overall pick
Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers
Playing career2024–present
Career history
2024–present Portland Trail Blazers
Career highlights and awards
Stats at NBA.com  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Donovan John Clingan (born February 23, 2004) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Cling Kong", he played college basketball for the UConn Huskies, winning two consecutive national championships from 2023 to 2024.

Contents

Early life and high school career

Clingan grew up in Bristol, Connecticut, and attended Bristol Central High School, where he led the boys basketball team to a 2022 Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Division II state championship. [1] [2] He also played Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball for Joe Chatman [3] at Team Spartans in Dorchester, Massachusetts. [4] [5] Clingan 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. [6] Clingan repeated as the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 30.3 points, 18.4 rebounds, and 6.2 blocks per game during his senior season. [7] 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. [8]

Clingan grew up and is close friends with current UConn Huskies football running back Victor Rosa. Rosa was Clingan's point guard in high school, and was a record-breaking football player as well. [9]

College career

Clingan entered his freshman season at UConn as the Huskies' backup center behind Adama Sanogo. [10] He was named to the Big East Conference All-Freshman team at the end of the regular season. [11] Clingan scored four points with three rebounds, a block, and two steals in the 2023 national championship game as the Huskies won 76–59. [12] Although he was considered to be a likely selection in the 2023 NBA draft, he decided to return to UConn for his sophomore season. [13]

Clingan entered his sophomore year as UConn's starting center. [14] [15] He suffered a foot injury in a game against Seton Hall on December 20, 2023. [16] Clingan returned on January 17, 2024, scoring six points and grabbing five rebounds in 16 minutes of play in a 62–48 win over 18th-ranked Creighton. [17]

On April 12, 2024, Clingan declared for the 2024 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility. [18]

Professional career

Portland Trail Blazers (2024–present)

On June 26, 2024, Clingan was selected with the seventh overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2024 NBA Draft. [19] With his college number 32 retired by the Trail Blazers for Bill Walton, Clingan chose 23 as his jersey number. [20] On July 4, he signed with Portland. [21]

Clingan made his NBA debut on October 23, 2024, in a 140-104 loss to the Golden State Warriors. [22]

Career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage 3P%  3-point field goal percentage FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high

College

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2022–23 UConn 39013.1.655.000.5175.6.5.41.86.9
2023–24 UConn 353322.5.639.250.5837.41.5.52.513.0
Career743317.6.645.222.5586.41.0.52.19.8

Personal life

Clingan is the son of Bill and Stacey Porrini Clingan. He has one younger sister, Olivia. [23] Clingan's mother, Stacey Clingan, also played basketball at Bristol Central where she set school records for career rebounds and blocks before playing college basketball at the University of Maine. [24] Stacey Clingan died of breast cancer in March 2018. [25] Clingan wore number 32, his mother's number, in Bristol and at UConn. [26]

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References

  1. ↑ Gibson, Charlotte (May 8, 2020). "Donovan Clingan contends with basketball future, his late mother's memory". ESPN.com . Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  2. ↑ Anthony, Mike. "Donovan Clingan is the 7-foot-3 face of UConn basketball. He's still a small town CT kid at heart". CT Insider. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  3. ↑ Joe Chatman
  4. ↑ Courant, Hartford (April 21, 2021). "Bristol Central's Donovan Clingan is back to dominating on the AAU circuit as college recruiting is set to ramp back up". Hartford Courant. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  5. ↑ "UConn's Donovan Clingan and a journey of dominance marked by tragedy". ESPN.com. April 6, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Bristol Central's Donovan Clingan Gatorade State Player of Year, 1 of 3 finalists for national award". Connecticut Post . June 4, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  7. ↑ Zagoria, Adam (March 22, 2023). "UConn's Freshman Center Stands Out Off the Bench". The New York Times . Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Bristol Central center Donovan Clingan commits to UConn". The Day . July 2, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  9. ↑ "The new face of UConn basketball is a 7-foot-3 phenom from CT". October 25, 2023.
  10. ↑ Betz, Adam (November 8, 2022). "UConn Notebook: Clingan makes big first impression". Journal Inquirer . Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  11. ↑ Arruda, Joe (March 5, 2023). "UConn's Adama Sanogo, Jordan Hawkins named First Team All-Big East; Karaban, Clingan on All-Freshman team". Hartford Courant . Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Donovan Clingan makes good on promise, helps UConn men's basketball team 'get No. 5'". Stamford Advocate . April 4, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  13. ↑ Borzello, Jeff (April 8, 2023). "UConn center Donovan Clingan to return for sophomore season". ESPN.com . Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  14. ↑ Borges, David (November 7, 2023). "Donovan Clingan reflects on first start for UConn men's basketball team: 'Dream come true'". CT Insider. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  15. ↑ "UConn men's preview: Donovan Clingan, the Huskies' ultimate big man, out to prove he's ready for the big time". Hartford Courant . November 4, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  16. ↑ Borzello, Jeff (December 23, 2023). "UConn center Donovan Clingan out 3-4 weeks with foot injury". ESPN.com . Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Clingan returns from injury to help No. 1 UConn stop Creighton". ESPN.com . January 17, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  18. ↑ Adrian Wojnarowski (April 12, 2024). "UConn center Donovan Clingan entering NBA draft". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  19. ↑ Fentress, Aaron (June 26, 2024). "Trail Blazers select center Donovan Clingan with the No. 7 pick in the NBA draft". The Oregonian . Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  20. ↑ Holdahl, Casey [@CHold] (June 28, 2024). "Also of note: Donovan Clingan will wear no. 23" (Tweet). Retrieved June 28, 2024– via Twitter.
  21. ↑ "Trail Blazers Sign Donovan Clingan". NBA.com. July 4, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Golden State Warriors at Portland Trail Blazers Box Score, October 23, 2024". BasketballRef. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  23. ↑ "Donovan Clingan - Men's Basketball". University of Connecticut Athletics. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  24. ↑ O'Neil, Dana (March 22, 2023). "Donovan Clingan is UConn's next big star. His mom would have loved it". The Athletic . Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  25. ↑ Doyle, Paul (April 1, 2023). "UConn men's basketball freshman Donovan Clingan honoring late mother at Final Four: "Make her proud'". Stamford Advocate . Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Former UConn, Bristol Central star Donovan Clingan introduced as a Portland Trail Blazer". Hartford Courant. 2024-06-29. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
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