The Portland Trail Blazers absolutely nailed their Donovan Clingan selection in the 2024 NBA Draft. They defied odds by coming away with a key building block with the No. 7 overall pick in a weak draft class.
In a draft filled with uncertain prospects, Clingan stood out as a safe option. With his physical tools as a defensive anchor, everything he excelled at in UConn to lead his team to consecutive NCAA national championships would translate to the next level.
Now in his second season, Clingan is emerging as a two-way force for the Blazers. He's combining that elite defensive skill set with an offensive arsenal that keeps expanding.
The Blazers absolutely stole Donovan Clingan
Clingan has always been an underrated passer. Seven-footers aren't a rarity in the league, but finding one with the ability to anticipate plays as well as Clingan is a different story. That's most apparent in his ability to find the angles on rebounds or alter shots he should have no business contesting. It's also why he's able to make the right reads with the ball in his hands.
There's so much talk about his improved three-point shot, and deservedly so. It's unlocking a new dimension for Portland's offense. But it's Clingan's passing and basketball IQ that fly under the radar. He's not a threat to drive out on the perimeter by any means, but having that optionality between shooting or finding cutters, shooters off screens, etc., gives him enough for Portland to feel comfortable with the ball in his hands.
Clingan has become a key component on both ends of the court, and you could make a legitimate case that he's become Portland's second most important player behind All-Star Deni Avdija. Compared to how the rest of the 2024 draft class is progressing, it's apparent that the Blazers came away with a steal.
Teams selecting before Portland at No. 7 largely had their center position solidified, but in retrospect, they should've gone with the best available prospect instead. In a redraft, Clingan would clearly fall inside the top five. And that's being conservative.
The Atlanta Hawks were reportedly considering him in the mix for the No. 1 overall selection, opting to take a flyer on Zaccharie Risacher instead. But No. 1 pick and flyer should never be in the same sentence. There was no more surefire asset than Clingan. And with his offensive skillset only getting better at 22 years old, he's proving his ceiling is higher than expected, too.
Their loss is Portland's gain, as the Blazers somehow managed to land their best draft selection in a weak class.