For the first time since winning a championship in 2014, UConn is competing in the NCAA Tournament championship game, and one of the factors contributing to its success has been the performance of its big men.
In this tournament, Adama Sanogo has been the Huskies’ top performer, averaging 20.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. Sanogo has only averaged 26 minutes of playing time per game, so UConn has needed a good performance from its backup centre to fill in for him.
Delivering that was Donovan Clingan.
With the Huskies, Clingan has been a powerhouse off the bench. In each of UConn’s five games, he has only appeared briefly, but during those brief appearances, he has been a productive interior scorer, shot blocker, and rebounder. Also, he has assisted in keeping Sanogo energetic and prepared to consistently contribute greatly.
Clingan is undoubtedly a captivating talent, and his big body helps him create plays at the rim with great ease.
How tall is Clingan exactly? Here is some information about the capable freshman from UConn who is working to lead the Huskies to their fifth national title.
Donovan Clingan: who is he?
UConn’s Donovan Clingan, a freshman centre, joined the squad as the ESPN 100’s 56th-ranked player. He is one of three Connecticut natives on the UConn roster and is from Bristol, Conn.
Due to his height and Connecticut heritage, Clingan is a favourite among the devoted Huskies supporters. Because of this, he has fought hard to maintain his composure during his first university season, but he has eventually enjoyed his successful debut.
He told CTInsider.com’s Mike Anthony, “When I got on the floor for the first time at the XL Center and heard the fans, it was simply unbelievable. “But, it didn’t enter my thoughts. Okay, that’s nice, I thought, but I have a game to play and business to attend to.
It is undoubtedly a weird experience, he continued. “It’s a fantasy realised. But now that I’ve realised one desire, I’m focusing on achieving my second dream. Wearing a UConn jersey is therefore a wonderful sensation. Just have to keep striving and succeeding.
What is Donovan Clingan’s height?
Clingan, who is 7-2, is among the tallest basketball players in UConn history. Since Hasheem Thabeet (7-3) played for Jim Calhoun’s team in the 2008–09 season, he is the tallest player overall.
According to ESPN, Clingan’s parents Bill and Stacey predicted he would be tall based on the fact that he was 12 pounds and 25 inches long at birth. Bill is 6’5″. Stacey was 6-4 when she passed away in March 2018 from breast cancer. As she wore number 32 during her playing career, her kid dons that jersey in her honour.
Stats for Donovan Clingan
Clingan spent all of his first season at UConn on the bench, but he was incredibly productive for the Huskies in the 2022–23 college basketball campaign. He led the club in blocks per game with 1.8 and had a field goal percentage of 65.5.
See how his rookie season per-game statistics stack up against those of his Huskies colleagues in the table below.
Stat | Per game | Rank |
Minutes | 13.1 | 9th |
Points | 7.1 | 5th |
Rebounds | 5.7 | 3th |
Assists | 0.5 | 9th |
Steals | 0.4 | 9th |
Blocks | 1.8 | 1st |
FG% | 65.5 | 2st |
In UConn’s 87-63 victory over Iowa, Clingan had one of his greatest performances of his career, with 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks in only 14 minutes. Before the Huskies surged away after interval, he assisted in keeping the game close in the first half.
Clingan is averaging 6.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and two blocks per game in the NCAA Tournament while playing only 13 minutes. He has been an important supporter of Adama Sanogo and should continue to be a productive interior defender and low-post scorer in the Final Four.
tallest competitors in the 2023 Final Four
Clingan is not by much the tallest player in the 2023 Final Four. Vladislav Goldin, a sophomore Russian centre for Florida Atlantic, is only an inch taller than him.
The only players taller than seven feet who are still competing are Clingan and Goldin. There are no players at Miami or San Diego State that surpass that level.
The tallest players competing in the 2023 Final Four are listed below:
Rank | Player | Team | Height |
1 | Donovan Clingan | UConn | 7-2 |
2 | Vladislav Goldin | FAU | 7-1 |
3 | Favour Aire | Miami (FL) | 6-11 |
4 | Samson Johnson | UConn | 6-10 |
Demarshay Johnson Jr | San Diego State | 6-10 | |
Nathan Mensah | San Diego State | 6-10 | |
7 | A.J. Casey | Miami (FL) | 6-9 |
Yarin Hasson | UConn | 6-9 | |
Brenen Lorient | FAU | 6-9 | |
Adama Sanogo | UConn | 6-9 | |
Richie Springs | UConn | 6-9 | |
Anthony Walker | Miami (FL) | 6-9 |