Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan repeats as national champion

09/04/2024 20:00

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets' top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz's top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to convey to OKC than the latter.

With the NCAA Tournament concluded, top prospects were in the spotlight as they drew national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is UConn center Donovan Clingan, who helped the Huskies win back-to-back championships. He finished with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting and five rebounds in 31 minutes in UConn’s 75-60 win over Purdue in the national championship game on Monday.

In his second season, Clingan has been part of a dominant UConn squad that seeks to repeat as national champions. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 12.5 points on 64% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

At 280 pounds, he has an NBA-ready frame and can give a team a classic rim-running big who can protect the rim. UConn went 31-3 and is No. 1 in the East Region.

The Thunder could envision Clingan adding serious size at center. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups or serve as an efficient backup center for OKC.