Amanda Knapp
UConn's basketball center, Donovan Clingan, is a very tall player. Listed at 7 ft 2 in tall, he may even be taller, with some sources stating he measures 7 ft 3 in without shoes. Clingan is one of the tallest players in UConn's history, and his height has been a factor in his success as a shot-blocker and rebounder. He has been described as a big man and has been projected as an NBA lottery pick.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Donovan John Clingan |
| Date of Birth | February 23, 2004 |
| Height | 7 feet, 2 inches (possibly taller) |
| Height (without shoes) | 7 feet, 3 inches |
| Weight | 280 pounds |
| Position | Center |
| College Number | 32 |
| Jersey Number | 23 |
| College | UConn Huskies |
| NBA Team | Portland Trail Blazers |
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What You'll Learn
Donovan Clingan's height is 7'3 without shoes, but he's listed at 7'2'
UConn's center, Donovan Clingan, is listed on the roster as 7-foot-2 (2.18 meters) but he is actually 7-foot-3 without shoes (2.21 meters). He decided to remain listed at 7-foot-2 because he considers that figure to be less of an attention-grabber.
Clingan, who is one of the tallest players in UConn's history, grew up in Bristol, Connecticut, and attended Bristol Central High School. He led the boys' basketball team to a 2022 Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Division II state championship. He averaged 27.3 points, 17.2 rebounds, and 5.8 blocks per game as a junior and was named the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year. He repeated as the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 30.3 points, 18.4 rebounds, and 6.2 blocks per game during his senior season.
Clingan entered his freshman season at UConn as the Huskies' backup center behind Adama Sanogo. He was named to the Big East Conference All-Freshman team at the end of the regular season. He then entered his sophomore year as UConn's starting center. However, he suffered a foot injury in a game against Seton Hall on December 20, 2023, and returned on January 17, 2024, scoring six points and grabbing five rebounds in 16 minutes of play in a win over Creighton.
Clingan declared for the 2024 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility. He was selected with the seventh overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers and made his NBA debut on October 23, 2024.
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Clingan is one of the tallest UConn players, after Hasheem Thabeet (7'3)
UConn has had some tall basketball players over the years, with one of the most notable being Hasheem Thabeet, listed at 7 feet 3 inches. Thabeet played three years with the Huskies before being selected second overall in the 2009 NBA draft.
Another extremely tall UConn player is Donovan Clingan, who measures 7 feet 3 inches without shoes but has chosen to remain listed at 7 feet 2 inches. Clingan is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA. He played college basketball for the UConn Huskies, winning two consecutive national championships in 2023 and 2024.
Clingan, who grew up in Bristol, Connecticut, attended Bristol Central High School, where he excelled at basketball. He led the boys' basketball team to a 2022 Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Division II state championship and was named the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year in both his junior and senior years. On July 2, 2021, he committed to playing college basketball for UConn, choosing them over offers from several other top schools.
Clingan entered his freshman season at UConn as the Huskies' backup center behind Adama Sanogo. He played exclusively off the bench in his first season, but he was hyper-efficient for the Huskies during the 2022-23 college basketball season, shooting 65.5% from the field and leading the team in blocks per game with 1.8.
In his sophomore year, Clingan became UConn's starting center. He suffered a foot injury in a game against Seton Hall on December 20, 2023, but returned on January 17, 2024, scoring six points and grabbing five rebounds in 16 minutes of play in a win over Creighton. On April 12, 2024, Clingan declared for the 2024 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility. He was selected with the seventh overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers.
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He was the tallest player in the 2023 Final Four
The center for the UConn Huskies men's basketball team is Donovan Clingan. He is 7 feet 2 inches tall, but he may be taller as he has been measured at 7 feet 3 inches without shoes. He is one of the tallest players in UConn's history.
Clingan grew up in Bristol, Connecticut, and attended Bristol Central High School, where he excelled at basketball. He entered his freshman season at UConn as the Huskies' backup center and helped the team win the national championship in 2023. He then entered his sophomore year as the starting center.
In 2023, UConn won all of their tournament games by more than 10 points. They advanced to the Final Four, where they defeated Miami (FL) 72-59. This was their sixth appearance in the Final Four. With a height of 7 feet 2 inches or more, Clingan was likely the tallest player in the 2023 Final Four. UConn went on to win the NCAA Championship, their fifth, defeating San Diego State 76-59.
Clingan was a highly touted prospect coming out of high school, choosing UConn over offers from several other prominent basketball programs. He entered the 2024 NBA Draft and was selected with the seventh overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers.
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Clingan is a projected NBA lottery pick
UConn men's basketball sophomore center Donovan Clingan is a projected NBA lottery pick. At 7 feet 2 inches tall, or possibly taller, Clingan is among the tallest players in UConn's history. He is originally from Bristol, Connecticut, and attended Bristol Central High School, where he led the boys' basketball team to a 2022 Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Division II state championship.
Clingan was named the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year in both his junior and senior years. In his junior year, he averaged 27.3 points, 17.2 rebounds, and 5.8 blocks per game. As a senior, he averaged 30.3 points, 18.4 rebounds, and 6.2 blocks per game. Clingan committed to playing college basketball for UConn, turning down offers from several other top programs.
In his freshman season at UConn, Clingan served as the backup center to Adama Sanogo. He appeared in all 39 games off the bench, averaging 6.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in 13.0 minutes per game. Clingan then became the starting center for his sophomore year, making 33 starts in 35 appearances and averaging 13.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in 22.5 minutes per contest.
Clingan's impressive performance during his college career led to him being selected as a lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. He was chosen seventh overall by the Portland Trail Blazers and made his NBA debut on October 23, 2024. Clingan's selection marked the second consecutive season that UConn had multiple draft selections, with Clingan being one of the top lottery picks developed by coach Dan Hurley.
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$5.27
He weighed 12 pounds at birth, suggesting he'd be tall
The center for the UConn Huskies men's basketball team is Donovan Clingan, who is listed at 7 feet 2 inches tall but may be taller. Clingan weighed 12 pounds at birth, which could have suggested that he would be tall, as birth weight is associated with height in adulthood.
Birth weight and length are predictors of adult height, with length being a slightly better predictor. Taller mothers are more likely to deliver larger babies, and heavier and longer babies at birth tend to be taller as adults. Clingan's birth weight of 12 pounds may have indicated that he would be tall, and he is now one of the tallest players in UConn history.
Clingan, from Bristol, Connecticut, attended Bristol Central High School, where he excelled at basketball. He led the boys' basketball team to a 2022 Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Division II state championship. Clingan averaged impressive numbers of points, rebounds, and blocks during his junior and senior seasons, earning him the title of Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year in both years.
Clingan chose to play college basketball for UConn despite offers from several other prestigious programs. He entered UConn as a backup center but became the starting center in his sophomore year. During his time with the Huskies, Clingan won two consecutive national championships in 2023 and 2024. He then declared for the 2024 NBA draft, where he was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers.
Clingan's height, which may exceed 7 feet 2 inches, has undoubtedly contributed to his success in basketball. While his birth weight may have been an early indication of his future height, it is just one factor influencing height in adulthood.
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