Spurs Draft Profile: Would Donovan Clingan Be Steal at No. 4?

The San Antonio Spurs could benefit from adding another big man to help defend the rim, but chances are slim that UConn center Donovan Clingan will still be available by time the No. 4 pick comes around.

Apr 6, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Connecticut Huskies center Donovan Clingan (32) reacts against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at State Farm Stadium. / Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Call it fate, but UConn center Donovan Clingan and ESPN’s main headquarters both call Bristol, Connecticut home.

Just a few months removed from winning the national championship for the second year in a row, the 20-year-old has certainly seen his share of the spotlight. Between playing a large role for the Huskies both years and now arguably headlining the 2024 NBA Draft class, Clingan has received ample attention.

READ MORE: Could Devin Carter Be San Antonio’s Best Option?

And whether he ends up will only amplify that further. Depending on where you look, Clingan is projected to go anywhere from No. 1 overall to the back of the top-10. As far as the San Antonio Spurs are concerned, he’s a strong option to consider with either of their picks, but given the skillset he brings to the table, he might not even be available by time their No. 4 pick rolls around.

That makes him a potential steal.

Here’s what you need to know:

Basic Information

Name: Donovan Clingan

Age: 20

Position: Center

Hometown: Bristol, Connecticut

School: University of Connecticut (UConn) 

Height: 7'2"

Weight: 280 lbs

Wingspan: 7'7"

Connecticut Huskies center Donovan Clingan (32) shares a laugh during practice for the Final Four at State Farm Stadium on Friday, April 5, 2024. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY

What Would Clingan Bring to San Antonio?

With his height, it’s hard not to immediately think of rising sophomore Victor Wembanyama when looking at the prospect Clingan is, but the two players are vastly different.

Where Wembanyama thrives in the half court and on-ball as a playmaker, Clingan does in the post and around the rim. He brings a true big-man presence to any team he’s a part of on both sides of the ball, and would fill a similar role for the Spurs. If San Antonio did decide to add him, Wembanyama would get the freedom to play as a non-center big.

On defense, Clingan provides a similar level of comfort that Wembanyama’s teammates spoke to all season — which former All-Star John Wall noted as well — and would further boost the strong defense that San Antonio has begun to build around Wembanyama, Sochan and even Cissoko.

Overall, there’s an obvious allure surrounding Clingan heading into the draft, and for good reason. The Spurs might find themselves lucky if they remain at No. 4 and find him still available, but even then, there are some parts of his game that aren’t as strong.

Something to Watch

The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

Clingan, as mentioned above, is a big man in every sense of the word. He brings strong rim protection and inside scoring, which is undoubtedly an important skill, but with that comes the downside. Outside of the paint, Clingan struggles to defend guards in space and behind the arc, he’s not a reliable scorer.

Last season, the center shot just 25 percent from 3-point range — though it can be noted that he seldom took those kinds of shots — and also struggled from the free throw line, making just 58.3 percent of his foul shots of 139 attempts.

San Antonio wouldn’t be relying on him to shoot the 3, but it means he’s not a floor spacer the way that Wembanyama and some of the league’s best centers are. It might not be a condemning trait, but is certainly something worth looking into.