Blazers News: Donovan Clingan Unpacks Biggest Difference Between NBA and College

Matt Levine | 3 Hours Ago

As the Portland Trail Blazers get set for the new NBA season, they will be tasked with trying to get themselves to be more competitive this time around. They finished last season with a record of 21-61 and it saw them land at the bottom of the Western Conference.

But Portland feels good about their chances for growth this year, even if they aren't likely to contend for a title. They have a good, young cast of players whom they believe can develop into strong NBA players down the line.

One of the main younger players that Portland is excited about is rookie center Donovan Clingan. Portland selected Clingan with the No. 7 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and they view him very highly.

He played in their preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers over the weekend and looked decent in his minutes. But he quickly learned how different the NBA was from his college days.

Clingan unpacked the difference, noting the biggest change from the two leagues.

“It’s way more physical,” he said. “These dudes are strong. They’re much older.”

If Clingan is to be as good as the Trail Blazers envision him to be, he will need to be more physical down low. He has the tools to become a very successful NBA player but will need to show consistency throughout his season.

“I thought it was great to be out there competing against another team other than our guys,” Clingan said. “It felt good. But there’s definitely things I could have done better. But it gave me a good feel for what it’s going to be like this year. And having that as my first game, I’m excited.”

Clingan will be fighting for minutes this season with centers Robert Williams III, Deandre Ayton, and Duop Reath. Portland has some strong frontcourt depth and they will try to use it to their advantage.

The former Uconn star weighed in on his performance, saying that his conditioning was strong entering the game. It seemed to give him an edge in the contest.

“I think I handled it pretty well,” he said. “My conditioning feels great. Just up and down the floor, multiple trips. I wasn’t really getting tired.”

If Portland is to start growing into a contender, much of their success will fall on the rookie. He will be given chances to succeed and will need to show what he can do.

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