Blazers News: Where Donovan Clingan Ranks in ROTY Voting Ahead of Season Start

Portland Trail Blazers rookie center Donovan Clingan was the No. 7 pick in June's draft. Will he earn Rookie of the Year acclaim?

Oct 18, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) warms up before a game against the Utah Jazz at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The Portland Trail Blazers are one day away from the start of their 2024-25 season. While the team's expectations are not high, it has many young and exciting players who are looking to make a name for themselves. 

The Trail Blazers have a ton of young players on their roster, but none may be better than their rookie center, Donovan Clingan. 

Clingan is about to enter his first year in the NBA, and he is looking to make a name for himself at the NBA level. He certainly did just that at the college level, winning back-to-back NCAA titles, but as we all know, the NBA is night and day compared to college. 

Clingan is expected to be one of the top rookies from this year's class. After being the No. 7 overall pick in this year's draft, he has a solid chance of winning the 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year award. 

How good are his odds? Well, according to NBA betting sites, Clingan has the ninth-best odds of winning the award. Clingan has +2500 odds of taking home the award. 

The eight players in front of Clingan are Carlton Carrington (Wizards), Dalton Knecht (Lakers), Alex Sarr (Wizards), Stephon Castle (Spurs), Matas Buzelis (Bulls), Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks), Reed Sheppard (Rockets), and Zach Edey (Grizzlies) with the best odds at +400. 

Clingan is arguably the most accomplished player compared to all the other top rookies up until this point. The 20-year-old led UConn to back-to-back titles and has the tools to be a solid NBA big man. He stands at 7-foot-2 and can defend with the best of them due to his size and length on the court. 

Although he possesses all the tools and skill set to be a pivotal piece in the Blazers' rotation soon, he will start as the backup center behind Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams III. 

Nonetheless, both centers are at risk of injury, as we've seen throughout their career. If Clingan can stay healthy, he could play an even more significant role than what we expect from him. 

Prior to the NBA, Clingan was at UConn, putting the nation on notice. In two seasons, he averaged 9.8 points per game, 6.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 2.1 blocks while shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 65.3 percent from the free-throw line. 

Portland is excited about what Clingan can become, and we'll see how he does in his first-ever NBA season, which begins on Wednesday. 

More Blazers: High-Upside Wing Expected to Survive Final Roster Cuts