UConn in the NBA Jan 2026

[WhereistheDove?]

Someone’s going to throw their back out dragging these goal posts so far across the field.

 

[Umami Zen]

Thought DC's spin move for the dunk on fleet-footed Chet H was pretty slick. Adama would have been proud of his student.

 

[HW611]

He just doesn’t have the outside shot yet, which he definitely will develop.

Sickness

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Sickness

Dunning-Kruger

 

[nomar]

He’s a second year player. Also Duren has more of a scoring bag, he faces up and drives well now because he is quick and strong as hell. He just doesn’t have the outside shot yet, which he definitely will develop.

After a slow start, he's now shooting 34.4% from 3. Since December began, he's made 17 out of 35 (48.6%). So I'd say he does have the outside shot already. He needs to continue to hit it consistently, but he's really been knocking them down of late.

 

[thekollieman]

Fun read lol. I’ll add my two cents again: assuming one focus of improvement comes at the expense of the other seems silly to me. His full-time job is getting better at basketball. All aspects of Clingan’s game are undoubtedly already improving and will continue to improve because he’s motivated, hard-working, and being paid many millions to make those strides. There is nothing here to argue about from my perspective.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

After a slow start, he's now shooting 34.4% from 3. Since December began, he's made 17 out of 35 (48.6%). So I'd say he does have the outside shot already. He needs to continue to hit it consistently, but he's really been knocking them down of late.

I should’ve been clearer, I was saying that Duren doesn’t have the outside shot.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Fun read lol. I’ll add my two cents again: assuming one focus of improvement comes at the expense of the other seems silly to me. His full-time job is getting better at basketball. All aspects of Clingan’s game are undoubtedly already improving and will continue to improve because he’s motivated, hard-working, and being paid many millions to make those strides. There is nothing here to argue about from my perspective.

It's the same kind of "logic" behind some posters observing that Solo Ball went 0-1 from the FT line last game and then remarking:

"Solo Ball needs to spend 2 hours a day shooting FTs!!!"

My brother, I guarantee you that Solo Ball already shoots more FTs in a week than you can comprehend...

 

[nomar]

I should’ve been clearer, I was saying that Duren doesn’t have the outside shot.

My fault, not yours. I read HW611's response to you first.

 

[Samoo]

Part of the excitement is coming from the fact that his post footwork is better every game. People that watch the game can see it. They can also see that he's not one of Portland scoring threats yet but his facilitation is very mature for a player of his age. So harping on totals while he's still growing his game is what I call "you missed a spot over there" analysis. But again, if some people can't see it in the numbers, then it didn't happen.

This times 1,000. It appears, as superjohn pointed out above, HW doesn't actually watch his games. If he did he would see it for himself, hear the announcers commenting on it, Tiago Splitter noting it in interviews.

​

He has indeed expanded his repertoire, and most importantly his efficiency, upped his scoring average, rebounds and assists as the season has progressed. Still needs to work on the free throws. He is now performing remarkably similar to Duren's second season. HW is like the black night and his stand is pretty indefensible. He willfully ignores the key point that blows his argument out of the water, Portland has no one to feed him in the paint and their offense is not designed as a half-court, pound the ball inside style.

 

[Lafayette]

Tonight I will watch Castle vs Cam (Spurs vs Memphis) to see 2 UConn greats on one game.

 

[HW611]

Fun read lol. I’ll add my two cents again: assuming one focus of improvement comes at the expense of the other seems silly to me. His full-time job is getting better at basketball. All aspects of Clingan’s game are undoubtedly already improving and will continue to improve because he’s motivated, hard-working, and being paid many millions to make those strides. There is nothing here to argue about from my perspective.

There is not unlimited time in the day to work on all your skills at once. You make choices and have focuses.

It’s why players have certain focus areas all the time going into summers.

If you put a heavy emphasis on one thing, like shooting, it’ll naturally take away time investing in other skills.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

There is not unlimited time in the day to work on all your skills at once. You make choices and have focuses.

It’s why players have certain focus areas all the time going into summers.

If you put a heavy emphasis on one thing, like shooting, it’ll naturally take away time investing in other skills.

Every player gets up a ton of shots each day. Good thing for DC because he has improved his 3pt shooting. He has also improved some low post stuff. Both seem to be working, you’re opinion on this isn’t shared by those that do this for a living.

 

[thekollieman]

There is not unlimited time in the day to work on all your skills at once. You make choices and have focuses.

It’s why players have certain focus areas all the time going into summers.

If you put a heavy emphasis on one thing, like shooting, it’ll naturally take away time investing in other skills.

Fundamentally that’s sound logic, but when you put it in context of basketball as a full-time job I think it crumbles. It’s not like a high school coach trying to manage time in a 90 minute to two hour practice window when everyone has school, day job, homework, etc. to take care of. And especially Donovan as a very young man and early in his career doesn’t have (presumably) major head-of-household responsibilities and other business ventures eating into his game improvement time. He could spend two hours a day working on post moves, another two on shooting threes, another two on strength and conditioning, and still have far more fill-in-the-blank time than probably anyone on the boneyard could fathom. Maybe a messy illustration by me cuz no one (other than Cam Spencer perhaps) would do that every day with an NBA game schedule in-season but you must understand my point.

 

[Matrim55]

You’re saying these things that don’t mean anything. He’s expanding his scoring repertoire but it doesn’t actually amount to more consistent scoring.

Guys that don’t have that expanded repertoire are scoring better than him. So what does it matter?

This is the stuff that bums me out. Where this board gets way happier for him to knock down 3s while scoring 12 points instead of highlighting his improved post work (that you doubted) which ace posted about.

Just prioritizing the wrong things.

I don't spend as much time on these boards as I used to but I feel comfortable saying you're one of the worst posters we've ever had. Really, really impressive.

Anyway, Clingan's offensive rating has climbed from 130 in November to 132 in December to 146 in January.

His PPG has climbed from 10.5 to 11.7 to 15.7.

His TS% has climbed from 57% to 67% to 68%.

Portland average 1.21 points per possession on Clingan spot-ups. The Nuggets average fractionally more than that – 1.28 ppp – on Jokic post-ups. Only one other center (Porzingis) sees his team average better than 1.1 ppp on post-ups, and here's the fun thing: he's always been a high-volume 3-point shooter who only learned how to become an efficient post player later in his career... as he was also shooting a ton of 3s.

I know you'll be impervious to this info and context, but it's useful hard data for the other folks in this thread.

 

[runner11]

All in all. This board is getting very excited about DC having a hot streak of 3 point shooting that has led to one 24 point game and a few 18 point outings at best.

That is not a sign of a tremendous scoring breakthrough and doesn’t take away from the fact he should be prioritizing developing his game at the rim more.

Specifically in his last five games he’s had:

12
24
11
6
18

I’m not sure what scoring breakthrough we’re celebrating here. It doesn’t change the fact that if he wants to be an actual and consistent scoring threat, the best way to do so would be to prioritize becoming a paint threat over 3 point threat.

Him having a few great games where he’s scoring the players spoken on before averages does not change that fact.

DC will never be a good post scorer. Bad feel/touch and poor balance. Probably bc his ridiculously long legs and high center of gravity. His best bet to be an effective offensive player is as a shooter and rim runner. Glad you’re not his coach .

 

[Waquoit]

DC will never be a good post scorer.

Never is a long time, buddy

 

[Palatine]

Never is a long time, buddy

Yep and sometimes never never comes.

 

[Waquoit]

Tonight I will watch Castle vs Cam (Spurs vs Memphis) to see 2 UConn greats on one game.

TBH, I'm not enjoying this as much as I thought I would. It's like watching two of my kids fight.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

TBH, I'm not enjoying this as much as I thought I would. It's like watching two of my kids fight.

Cam playing really well. Steph has been struggling pretty heavily last 5 or so games. Really shooting poorly, getting his shot blocked a lot and of course, far too many turnovers.

 

[uconnblueinky]

Cam just hit the go ahead and winning basket over the Spurs and almost went for a triple double

 

[Waquoit]

Cam won the game for the Grizz! Hit the last 5 points for a 1 point win. Not just that, Memphis had 20 turnovers as a team, Cam the player with the ball in his hands all game, had zero. He's a budding star. Ja who?

 

[ToolzieFan]

Game-winner for Cam, right after his 3 cut the lead to 1.

 

[HW611]

Fundamentally that’s sound logic, but when you put it in context of basketball as a full-time job I think it crumbles. It’s not like a high school coach trying to manage time in a 90 minute to two hour practice window when everyone has school, day job, homework, etc. to take care of. And especially Donovan as a very young man and early in his career doesn’t have (presumably) major head-of-household responsibilities and other business ventures eating into his game improvement time. He could spend two hours a day working on post moves, another two on shooting threes, another two on strength and conditioning, and still have far more fill-in-the-blank time than probably anyone on the boneyard could fathom. Maybe a messy illustration by me cuz no one (other than Cam Spencer perhaps) would do that every day with an NBA game schedule in-season but you must understand my point.

In season isn’t a time for improving skills. You only have time to maintain the ones you came into the year with.

The offseason is the time for that. And even then, Kobe’s 666 plan involved only two hours of skill work a day.

DC will never be a good post scorer. Bad feel/touch and poor balance. Probably bc his ridiculously long legs and high center of gravity. His best bet to be an effective offensive player is as a shooter and rim runner. Glad you’re not his coach .

This is what I mean when I say you all take the side of our guys not being able to get better at something and it’s weird.

The only things you all ever think a player can improve on is shooting 3s. It’s dumb and lazy basketball thinking. Shows you all never played or know what kind of training goes into it at all.

 

[superjohn]

DC will never be a good post scorer. Bad feel/touch and poor balance. Probably bc his ridiculously long legs and high center of gravity. His best bet to be an effective offensive player is as a shooter and rim runner. Glad you’re not his coach .

This take won't age well either putting a ceiling on him. His touch is already getting better and he's shown some things in the post we haven't seen from him before. With his size, work ethic, and love for the game he's going to keep improving aspects of his game. He's 21.