Clingan MVP

[Stinger92860]

“An impact player”… Bill Walton.

are you he wasn’t talking about Oscar Robertson? Just kidding…

 

[Stinger92860]

Imagine if he learns to hit the 3?

let’s start with a mid-range then we can place him in the middle of a zone. Throw it to him high and he should be able to scan the floor and see the open man.

 

[Scrutineer]

He said Watson all night was MVP.

He also said AJ should be the MVP.

 

[elmcityboy]

uconn fans may laugh because of what sanogo did to him, but i think that donovan can be a walker kessler-type with respect to the NBA draft if he continues on this trajectory.

kessler played two years in college (one good, one not so good) and was picked in the mid-to-late first round. he's already been a productive player for the surprisingly good utah jazz.

 

[Scrutineer]

DC seems to be such a good kid, and teammate, and humble, it's got to be head-spinning to be named MVP of a major tourney so early in his career. He's also wise beyond his years as he gave credit to AS, his teammates and the coaches (has anyone heard a player credit the coaches' game planning before?).

Hopefully he's more level headed than many on the Boneyard who already have him leaving after this year's fifth National Championship...............

 

[Kembacity]

Depends on how this year goes, strikes me as a kid that would stay to win.

Yeah I think he’d have to win tournament player of the year and take home a ring to go pro already. Far more likely he comes back for one more to be the starter all year

 

[TheRealKBuks]

Wow! what a special player. Defaults all praise to his teammates and coaches. No ego, just love of team and the game. Enjoy him while we can now because in a few short years we'll be celebrating his name being added to the Wall.

 

[MDHuskFan]

Class of 2022 - C Donovan Clingan (CT) Offered

I also know UConn fans that complained they got screwed in 09 because they played MSU in Detroit. Even though we won in Detroit in a stadium packed with MSU fans when they were the 3 and we were the 11 a few years ago I mean...everyone has a story like this, if you’re in the tournament often...

syracusefan.com

I love this thread.

 

[jibsey]

Sanogo and Clingan are just dedicated to getting better and working their tails off to do it. Are we lucky or what?

 

[MDHuskFan]

Coach has seemed to do a great balancing act of complimenting DC, while also trying to not put too much pressure on the young, hometown kid.

I think that job is getting increasingly difficult by the day

 

[superjohn]

What in the world are you talking about?

Brook Lopez whose 100 times more offensively skilled than Clingan and was drafted 15 years ago?

Boban Marganavic who checks notes went undrafted and signed a FA deal for less than what Clingan will probably make this year with NIL money and averages less than 9 mins per game for his career...

Zach Edey whose currently maybe the most dominant big man in college basketball and has an extremely similar skill set to DC has draft analysts saying he might be a 2nd round pick...

What are you talking about. The classic big center in the NBA is dead and has been dead for a while. Please list me the 7 footers who've been drafted in the first round over the last decade who didn't shoot threes at a reasonably high clip.

Donovan Clingan will play in the league someday but it's not going to be soon and he's probably never going to play a big role on an NBA team unless he can consistently knock down perimeter shots.

Why do we have to do this with every player? Completely over rate the way their talent projects at the next level.

Why did you bring up Drew Timme to prove your point about Clingan? He's 6'9, not at all a defensive presence, and is woeful in the strength and athleticism department.

I'll name you some NBA centers who don't make threes- Gobert, Adebayo, Jarrett Allen, Sabonis, Ayton, Robert Williams, Capela, Poeltl, Valanciunus, Looney, Nurcic, Steven Adams, Mitchell Robinson, Zubac, Claxton, Sengun, Mason Plumlee, McGee, Damian Jones, Kessler, Whiteside, Marjanovic, Hartenstein, Mark Williams, Duren, Harrell...

 

[Conndog]

Donovan is a great free throw shooter too. He has a simple shot technique, has good arc on the free throw, and seems quite accurate. He will score a lot of points from the charity stripe.

 

[Umami Zen]

Donovan plays smart/tough/heady defense. Makes the opponent's Bigs work for their points.. And his teammates are looking for him rolling to the hoop/alley oops. Easy high percentage points

Among his many talents.. He has a great set of hands.. No bobbling/fumbling of passes/50-50 balls.

 

[Icehawk]

Clingan is smart, a friggin' redwood, and plays high with both sticky hands. Is he better than Sanogo? I think that's the wrong question. The right one is - who's the right guy to be on the floor right now. They play so differently when we switch between them we totally throw the opposing teams tempo off.

He's a total game changer and I believe a future Husky great we'll talk about for years. Heck, I think this team is one we're going to remember - even the "worst" players have upside and fit in to Hurley's gameplan. I'm so glad I decided to get back into watching the Huskies 3 years ago it's just been an upwards trend and this year, this year, the boosters are ON.

I also love that we legit could have had Newton, Watson (lol), or Clingan as MVP and any of those would have felt right to me.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

This is a *TERRRIBLE take

Drew Timme is a dime a dozen in the NBA - 6'8.5 guys who are skilled

You know what isn't a dime a dozen? 7'3 bulldozers who can stand up 1:1 in the post, score from the block at a high rate, and generally be hyper efficient down low and shoot a jumper to space the floor.

That list is very small, makes a lot of money, and plays in the NBA for FOREVER. Think Brook Lopez, Boban Marjakovic, etc.

We can hope that between CT Hometown NIL deals and shoe contracts and agents that the economics allow him to stay in college, but do not be shocked if he's a 1 or 2 and done.

To add on to that, his ability to pass out of the post at 7’2 is going to play well in the current NBA game. He’s not some old-school big that can only play back to the basket within 10 feet.

 

[inWV]

What the hell does Hurley do with 2 once in a decade big men, who can’t practically play together? I’m not a fan of playing them together the 4 out system works. I say you split it evenly 20 for AS. 20 for DC.

If I'm Hurley, I'm trying to work in some stuff where they can play together, as the floor dynamic will be different against some teams in the league and post season. But talk about foul trouble insurance!

 

[elmcityboy]

the schadenfreude squad may enjoy reading the syracuse recruiting thread that their board bumped last night:

Class of 2022 - C Donovan Clingan (CT) Offered

I also know UConn fans that complained they got screwed in 09 because they played MSU in Detroit. Even though we won in Detroit in a stadium packed with MSU fans when they were the 3 and we were the 11 a few years ago I mean...everyone has a story like this, if you’re in the tournament often...

syracusefan.com

 

[Waquoit]

Walton had a great line after DC's first shift. After he sat, ISU's first shot was a total brick. "They think Clingon's still in the game!"

 

[MexicoHusky]

The only reason Clingan plays 2 years in college is if he wants to play 2 years in college. He's an excellent basketball player with tons of physical ability. There's no financial or developmental reason he needs to return after this year.

I think he'd have close-to-immediate impact on the defensive end and I'd probably compare him to Rudy Gobert on the defensive end. I'd like to see Clingan matchup against someone like Anthony Davis or Nikola Jokic. Would Davis be too quick for Clingan? Would Jokic out muscle Clingan? I can't definitively say either things would happen. Clingan may be able to slow down either of those guys... maybe. He's huge and pretty darn athletic. As far as offense is concerned, Walton said it appropriately, "he's a basketball player that happens to be 7'2"". I think Clingan could develop a very effective outside shot. His shooting stroke is very solid. Keep in mind, the bigs that shoot threes in the NBA (Embid, Jokic, Davis, etc...)... I dont think any of them were very good three point shooters when they entered the league. I'm not worried about his shooting. I think it will come and I think the NBA would happily be patient with it.

 

[tzznandrew]

I'd probably compare him to Rudy Gobert on the defensive end. I'd like to see Clingan matchup against someone like Anthony Davis or Nikola Jokic. Would Davis be too quick for Clingan? Would Jokic out muscle Clingan? I can't definitively say either things would happen.

Boneyardin' hard.

Clingan is good, but his defense ain't Gobert's and, as of right now, Davis and Jokic would eat him alive.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Boneyardin' hard.

Clingan is good, but his defense ain't Gobert's and, as of right now, Davis and Jokic would eat him alive. Because, of course, he's a college freshman.

As I said, I'm not 100% sure that's true. Likely yes, but I'd like to see it. I'm also speaking defensively. I don't think Clingan would score a ton against either. So in the box score Clingan would lose. Keep in mind Jokic and Gobert were both moderate projects. They weren't who they are today right away. Davis not so much, he was pretty much NBA ready right away.

 

[MDHuskFan]

Why did you bring up Drew Timme to prove your point about Clingan? He's 6'9, not at all a defensive presence, and is woeful in the strength and athleticism department.

I'll name you some NBA centers who don't make threes- Gobert, Adebayo, Jarrett Allen, Sabonis, Ayton, Robert Williams, Capela, Poeltl, Valanciunus, Looney, Nurcic, Steven Adams, Mitchell Robinson, Zubac, Claxton, Sengun, Mason Plumlee, McGee, Damian Jones, Kessler, Whiteside, Marjanovic, Hartenstein, Mark Williams, Duren, Harrell...

Poeltl is a great comp IMO

 

[Waquoit]

Boneyardin' hard.

I remember reading here that Brimah going to the NBA it was a matter of when not if.

 

[Conndog]

I’d hope he stays to 1) make sure we win a championship- as good & as deep as this team is, there’s no guarantee we win it all in March/April 2) he can continue to work on his footwork- no one better to learn from than Sanogo

 

[bigknight3]

What in the world are you talking about?

Brook Lopez whose 100 times more offensively skilled than Clingan and was drafted 15 years ago?

Boban Marganavic who checks notes went undrafted and signed a FA deal for less than what Clingan will probably make this year with NIL money and averages less than 9 mins per game for his career...

Zach Edey whose currently maybe the most dominant big man in college basketball and has an extremely similar skill set to DC has draft analysts saying he might be a 2nd round pick...

What are you talking about. The classic big center in the NBA is dead and has been dead for a while. Please list me the 7 footers who've been drafted in the first round over the last decade who didn't shoot threes at a reasonably high clip.

Donovan Clingan will play in the league someday but it's not going to be soon and he's probably never going to play a big role on an NBA team unless he can consistently knock down perimeter shots.

Why do we have to do this with every player? Completely over rate the way their talent projects at the next level.

Perfect response. And the added time Clingan has in college will allow him to add on to his offensive skill set.