When the dust settled after the 2025 NBA Draft, the Blazers had selected Yang Hansen, which shocked even the hardiest draft experts. After the summer league passed, many of those same pundits had ceded some credit to the Blazers' draft intel. Through the first three Blazers’ preseason games, it is readily apparent that they did indeed draft their center of the future. However, that player was drafted a year prior, and his name is Donovan Clingan.
Donovan Clingan is separating himself from the pack
As the preseason ramps up its competition to regular-season intensity, Yang has filled the backup center minutes admirably. And while Yang has met—and maybe even exceeded—expectations, Donovan Clingan has been quietly playing some great preseason ball.
In tonight’s second outing against the Golden State Warriors, Clingan put together a double-double in just under 12 minutes. No player achieves such a feat by hogging defensive rebounds, and Clingan’s game tonight was no exception. In just the first half, Clingan amassed 11 boards, including seven offensive caroms against four defensive.
He finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, and the contrast between his and Yang’s games couldn’t be more stark. In the first game against Golden State, Clingan faced off against Al Horford in limited minutes. In the second matchup, Clingan played against both Horford and Quentin Post, Yang’s assignment in game one. Unlike Yang, Clingan played him right up to the three-point line and took that shot away from him.
On the interior, Clingan’s paint presence is just as imposing as last year, with a game-breaking rim protection radius. Forcing opposing floor generals to call an audible by just standing there, Clingan’s shot-altering ability has a nearly unmatched radius, and his perimeter defense has stepped up a notch as well.
Though Clingan hasn’t yet recorded a block in the preseason, players have been known to keep their foot off the gas a little as coaches experiment with new plays and lineups. Clingan’s dearth of blocks is a product of both preseason shenanigans and the opponent; the Warriors shot the second-most threes per game last season, and Portland has played them twice in three games.
With third-stringer Duop Reath a DNP in this game, Clingan got a little extra run and delivered. He was subbed out with 5:32 left in the fourth to let Yang get more game time under his belt.
The Blazers will play their final preseason game on Thursday against the Jazz, where former Blazer Jusuf Nurkic will present Clingan’s latest challenge.