Donovan clingan version of young nikola jokic?

[superjohn]

So it's possible he can do all those things then?

Ask HuskyWarrior

 

[superjohn]

Before seeing real time how much better Clingan got this offseason, tbh I'd say his best comp is Walker Kessler but trade some defense for some offense, and with higher upside because of it

Clingan could/should be better next year than Kessler was at Auburn (which is a high bar), but Kessler broke out in the NBA averaging 9 PPG, 8 RPG, 2.3 BPG shooting 72% as a rookie

We expect Clingan to go lottery so the expectations are understandably higher, but I think that's our best comp for now and there'd be no shame if that's what he ends up being like.

There is no comp anywhere in America for Jokic, and probably in the history of American basketball. I'm sure there's some Jokic-lite somewhere in Europe that we'll learn about in a few years. Looking forward to see Clingan battle them in the NBA down the line

Alperen Sengun is little Jokic lite. I don't like comparing guys to the best but he's the only guy who is in the ballpark with his crazy moves and vision.

 

[metsfan2323]

A truer statement is Clingan has more upside potential than Travis .
But Travis was able to play 25 minutes a game at a pretty high level
That 1996 team really had no backup 5.
We’re pretty sure he can double his minutes and maintain that level but until he actually does you never know for sure .
Stamina or rather lack of it for a guy that big has been the downfall of a few. That one of my big IFs for success next year .

No!!! Comparing DC to Travis Knight is like comparing Okafor to Whaley. The 95 and 96 teams would have been cutting down the nets if they had DC. Travis was just a solid role player DC is a star.

 

[HungryHu5ky]

Not at all lol

 

[temery]

Jokic always played like this, he's just a lot better at it now that he's been in the league a long time.

Then he hasn't always played like this. In fact, he's gotten better pretty much every year. Funny thing is I can't find a single post here mentioning Jokic in his first couple years (search feature here does suck though).

It's a bad comparison because the only thing they really have in common is height, and Jokic doesn't play like a typical center. But Jokic's numbers his rookie year don't look out of reach for Clingan.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Then he hasn't always played like this. In fact, he's gotten better pretty much every year. Funny thing is I can't find a single post here mentioning Jokic in his first couple years (search feature here does suck though).

It's a bad comparison because the only thing they really have in common is height, and Jokic doesn't play like a typical center. But Jokic's numbers his rookie year don't look out of reach for Clingan.

View attachment 89529

Damn he must not be able to pass like that since he averaged only 2 assists his first year.

 

[Matrim55]

For those that don’t like the Jokic comp, what other big man in the NBA that has good to great passing skills would be a better comp?

The correct functional comparison would be Rob Williams. Devastating rim runner, superb (if underutilized) passer, soft touch to 17 feet, incredible paint/rim protector who’s only an ok 1v1 post defender because of his high center of gravity.

I’m sure certain people will struggle with the comparison, though. For some reason.

 

[superjohn]

Then he hasn't always played like this. In fact, he's gotten better pretty much every year. Funny thing is I can't find a single post here mentioning Jokic in his first couple years (search feature here does suck though).

It's a bad comparison because the only thing they really have in common is height, and Jokic doesn't play like a typical center. But Jokic's numbers his rookie year don't look out of reach for Clingan.

View attachment 89529

Can't tell if this is a reading comprehension issue or a trolling issue.

This isn't difficult, his style of play has always been the same and he's gotten a lot better. That's what typically happens with great players.

The Clingan Jokic comparison is terrible when Jokic was the same age as Clingan is now and it's a terrible comparison every year since. They don't play anything like each other.

 

[superjohn]

Damn he must not be able to pass like that since he averaged only 2 assists his first year.

Don't dig any further than you already have. You have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[Deleted at users request]

He's like a bigger Laurynas Birutis.

Wait, is this a real person? Lol





I think Kessler and Williams are really good comps (Williams is especially sneaky good) for what DC is right now as a floor. My thing is, if he does get better based on the tools he has, who is the next best comp projection wise?

 

[auror]

Wait, is this a real person? Lol





I think Kessler and Williams are really good comps (Williams is especially sneaky good) for what DC is right now as a floor. My thing is, if he does get better based on the tools he has, who is the next best comp projection wise?

Mostly a joke. I just googled nba center prospect "good passing out of double" and found a random 7 foot guy.

 

[temery]

Can't tell if this is a reading comprehension issue or a trolling issue.

This isn't difficult, his style of play has always been the same and he's gotten a lot better. That's what typically happens with great players.

So, you're saying he was just bad at assists his first couple of years, but he tried real hard.

 

[temery]

The Clingan Jokic comparison is terrible when Jokic was the same age as Clingan is now and it's a terrible comparison every year since.

How can it be a terrible comparison every year since when Clingan has only played one season?

 

[auror]

So, you're saying he was just bad at assists his first couple of years, but he tried real hard.

He wasn't bad at assists. He averaged 4.4 ast per 40 compared to Clingan's 1.4 per 40. At the same age as Clingan, Jokic had 4.0 ast per 40 in the Adriatic League.

 

[Deleted at users request]

He wasn't bad at assists. He averaged 4.4 ast per 40 compared to Clingan's 1.4 per 40. At the same age as Clingan, Jokic had 4.0 ast per 40 in the Adriatic League.

I think it’d be fair to take into consideration competition and the fact that Jokic didn’t have the Final Four MOP in front of him.

 

[temery]

He wasn't bad at assists. He averaged 4.4 ast per 40 compared to Clingan's 1.4 per 40. At the same age as Clingan, Jokic had 4.0 ast per 40 in the Adriatic League.

Not sure the assist numbers really matter, but get back to me when Clingan is a starter playing more than a couple minutes at a time totaling something like 13 minutes per game.

I don't expect Clingan's assist numbers to improve much - he's a center. The fact Jokic's assist stats are high is just out of place for a center.

My only interest in this thread is in defending the idea Clingan has the potential to be dominant in the NBA at his position. At this point in Jokic's career nobody of consequence believed he'd be the player he has become. Clearly nobody here.

 

[Samoo]

Wait, is this a real person? Lol





I think Kessler and Williams are really good comps (Williams is especially sneaky good) for what DC is right now as a floor. My thing is, if he does get better based on the tools he has, who is the next best comp projection wise?

A center who averages a double double with a fair amount of assists, probably not the best passing center of the modern age who averaged a triple double last season. And how come no one is mentioning a young Arvydas Sabonis dominating the Admiral?

 

[auror]

Not sure the assist numbers really matter, but get back to me when Clingan is a starter playing more than a couple minutes at a time totaling something like 13 minutes per game.

I don't expect Clingan's assist numbers to improve much - he's a center. The fact Jokic's assist stats are high is just out of place for a center.

My only interest in this thread is in defending the idea Clingan has the potential to be dominant in the NBA at his position. At this point in Jokic's career nobody of consequence believed he'd be the player he has become. Clearly nobody here.

That's the whole point of what a lot of us are saying. We're not saying Clingan can't be great in the NBA. We're saying he doesn't play like Jokic. Because he's not nearly the passer, which is Jokic's greatest strength.

 

[navery12]

I don't expect Clingan's assist numbers to improve much - he's a center. The fact Jokic's assist stats are high is just out of place for a center.

That's the point. Jokic's passing is insane and very unique, which is why he's an awful comp for Clingan

 

[superjohn]

So, you're saying he was just bad at assists his first couple of years, but he tried real hard.

That's not at all what I'm saying...

You clearly didn't watch him back then, the vision, passing, and playmaking was always there but he had just come to America and was adjusting to his new country, the new league, and his new body. He was out of shape, lost a lot of weight quickly and was coming off the bench, they hadn't designed their entire offense around him yet.

If Wembanyama struggles scoring this season which he certainly will at times are you going to pretend he doesn't have a ton of scoring talent/ability?

 

[superjohn]

How can it be a terrible comparison every year since when Clingan has only played one season?

I'm saying it's a terrible comparison because they play nothing alike. Jokic when he was in Serbia and a rookie played nothing like Clingan did his freshman season at UConn. They are totally different players in style, build, athleticism etc. It's an awful comparison.

 

[temery]

You clearly didn't watch him back then, the vision, passing, and playmaking was always there but he had just come to America and was adjusting to his new country, the new league, and his new body.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. You weren't saying any of this back then. I don't think anybody was.

 

[auror]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. You weren't saying any of this back then. I don't think anybody was.

Draft people were saying it at the time:

 

[temery]

Yet he was drafted late.

Draft people were saying it at the time:

 

[superjohn]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. You weren't saying any of this back then. I don't think anybody was.

You have no idea what you're talking about. I was absolutely blown away by Jokic's vision/passing/playmaking when he came into the league. I didn't see him play in Serbia back then but I've seen plenty of tape since then and he played the same way, he was just young and out of shape.

 

[Samoo]

Yet he was drafted late.

Conditioning and athleticism. What no one figured out before he was drafted was his basketball intelligence and level of selflessness.

 

[navery12]

@Matrim55 had the earliest call on Jokic and his passing on the Boneyard I can find. But to keep him humble I'll also post his next Jokic post

On Josh Carlton

 

[Deleted at users request]

I would simply like to see how much Clingan can actually pass when we ask him to do more of it in the offense before we completely throw the comp away. I don’t think it’ll be Jokic no look behind the back passes. But I think it will be 90+ percentile kind of passing from a center. And if he does that scouts are going to unreasonably think Jokic like they probably thought Dwight Howard was the next Shaq. Which would be great for Clingan because it could make him a top 5 pick.

Remember this is Clingan’s HS scouting report.


On3
Big. Has long arms and just a hulking frame. Great hands with touch over both shoulders. Can score with back to the basket. Good pace, good patience on the block. A great passer from multiple spots in the half-court can run some actions through him. A good shot blocker with natural timing, both hands. The athleticism and lack of pop are the questions. Can he get caught defensively out on an island? Can pick and pop out to 18-feet. A good rebounder in his area. Productive. Competes.

 

[auror]

Yet he was drafted late.

Yes, that has very little to do with the fact that stylistically people saw that he was a truly excellent passer and the best passing big in his draft as a 19 year old. The comment you replied to was saying that people saw the vision and playmaking as a prospect. They did. They didn't buy other parts of his game, like his athleticism, conditioning, post moves, and shooting, and didn't value passing/playmaking from bigs enough thus drafted 41st.

Right now, those vision and playmaking labels would not be used to describe Clingan. But Clingan will be drafted earlier than 41 in all likelihood, because other facets of his game are more developed than Jokic's were at the time, and he has more size, etc.

Clingan can show even more passing this season. If so, maybe the comparison becomes more apt. I think he's got a strong BBIQ and decent passing ability for his size and position. Just not to the level where it makes sense to compare his game stylistically to Jokic even at the same age. It's not the best fit for a comp currently.

 

[FreeKlaiber]

After seeing him play in high school i began calling him “bad bill walton” because DC was an excellent passer from the post for a 7fter, reminding me of 86 walton. Obviously a poor mans version. Thats before he stepped on floor at gampel.

He can definitely pass, not in the jokic way, but in a high bball iq fundamentally-sound, get ball to open man way-ala walton. Just wait & see, he is a different type of offensive player than he got to show last year

Jokic passing is admittedly next level. Bird-like