Trail Blazers News: Rookie Donovan Clingan Named To An All-Summer League Team

The first-year center's NBA career is off to a fast start.

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

Portland Trail Blazers rookie center Donovan Clingan has been named to the All-Summer League NBA2K25 Second Team, according to an official league press release. Joining him on the Second Team are Washington Wizards combo guard Carlton "Bub" Carrington (whose draft rights were acquired by the Wizards from Portland in the Deni Avdija trade), 2024 Miami Heat All-Rookie First Team small forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., Indiana Pacers second-year power forward Jarace Walker, and Brooklyn Nets forward Jalen Wilson.

The Trail Blazers selected Clingan, a 7-foot-2 center, with the No. 7 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft out of the University Connecticut. The 2024 Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American won two straight titles with the Huskies before taking the leap to the pros this summer.

Across his four Las Vegas Summer League contests with Portland, Clingan averaged 9.0 points on a middling 35.7 percent field goal shooting, along with an impressive 12.3 rebounds and 4.3 blocks a night, along with 2.0 assists and 0.8 steals per bout.

Read More: Donovan Clingan Already Developing After Just One Week of Summer League

How far the 20-year-old big man can climb this season hinges a lot on his opportunities. Though he's been given top-10 Rookie of the Year preseason odds, per BetOnline, Clingan could be riding pine for a Portland club that also features centers Deandre Ayton (who'll be making $34 million this season), Robert Williams III and Duop Reath. One of Ayton or Williams could be dealt this summer, but for now it seems likely Clingan will be competing for backup minutes behind Ayton, the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

Portland is hoping to rebound from its miserable 21-61 season in 2023-24, developing its youth movement while also staying bad enough to contend for a top pick in what promises to be a loaded 2025 NBA Draft. How effectively the club can thread that needle remains to be seen.

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