Trail Blazers' Donovan Clingan Given Surprisingly Low New Rookie of the Year Odds

The No. 7 pick in the draft does not have the seventh-best odds of nabbing the honor.

Jul 15, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) controls the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

Portland Trail Blazers rookie center Donovan Clingan, who had been seen as a steal when general manager Joe Cronin selected him with the No. 7 pick fresh off winning two straight NCAA titles with the University of Connecticut Huskies, has been given surprisingly low odds of capturing the Rookie of the Year award — albeit, probably, for a very understandable reason.

BetOnline.ag oddsmakers have pegged the 7-foot-2 big man +1600 odds of becoming Portland's first Rookie of the Year honoree since Damian Lillard in 2013. Those represent just the 10th-best odds of securing the honor, below the odds awarded several players who were selected behind him, including No. 11 pick Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls (who netted +1100 odds), No. 17 pick Dalton Knecht of the Los Angeles Lakers (+1100), and No. 14 pick Carlton "Bub" Carrington of the Washington Wizards (+1400).

At first blush, it reads as a sign of disrespect that the 2024 Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention missed out on at least top-5 odds.

But upon reflection, it does make sense. Though Clingan could prove to be one of the better selections when all is said and done, he may not make an impact right away. Given that he is joining a team that already features three solid rotation centers in Deandre Ayton, Robert Williams III, and Duop Reath, there's no guarantee that the 20-year-old will become a consistent contributor for the Trail Blazers this season.

Houston Rockets rookie point guard Reed Sheppard, selected with the No. 3 pick out of Kentucky, has been awarded the best odds to be named Rookie of the Year at +600. Former Purdue All-American center Zach Edey, added with the No. 9 pick by the Memphis Grizzlies, is next up at +650 odds. The top two draft picks, No. 1 selection Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks (+850) and No. 2 pick Alexandre Sarr of the Wizards (+900), are next up.

Long-term, Clingan was voted the second-best overall 2024 NBA Draft pick in a poll of league scouts and executives from Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN. Sheppard was considered the best selection. The 6-foot-3 All-SEC honoree is seen as a solid win-now, two-way contributor, capable of averaging 12.5 points on a .536/.521/.831 slash line, 4.5 dimes, 4.1 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 0.7 blocks across 28.9 minutes a night.

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