UConn basketball center Donovan Clingan is praising his basketball program, after the Huskies won their sixth national championship on Monday in the last 25 years. Clingan believes that UConn basketball is as good historically as any other program in the country.
My postgame interview with @UConnMBB Donovan Clingan for @MarchMadnessMBB: https://t.co/x06JTkFvPU
— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) April 9, 2024
“Blue blood, UConn is a blue blood,” Clingan said following the game. The school won back-to-back championships after defeating Purdue 75-60 in Monday's national championship. The last time that happened was in 2006 and 2007, with Florida.
Clingan's performance
Clingan put together another solid performance in the national championship game. The big man finished with 11 points and five rebounds, but more importantly kept Purdue's Zach Edey in check for most of the contest. Clingan was a force around the basket, changing shots and making it difficult for Edey to score in the second half.
The big man has eligibility left, but many analysts believe Clingan will leave school to enter the NBA Draft. Clingan is a projected first round NBA Draft pick, per USA Today. Several draft boards have Clingan as a lottery pick, going in one of the first ten overall selections.
It's easy to see why. Clingan had an outstanding season for UConn basketball. The big man averaged 13 points and seven rebounds a game, shooting 63 percent from the field. Clingan put together two double-doubles in the team's six NCAA tournament victories, with a 22 point performance in the Huskies' win over Illinois. He also put together an impressive performance against Marquette in the Big East Tournament championship game, scoring 22 points and grabbing 16 rebounds.
The center increased his production in nearly every category, from his freshman season into this season as a sophomore. Clingan averaged 7 points, and six rebounds in his first season at the school in 2022-23. Clingan appeared in 39 games as a freshman, but didn't have a single start. That was a stark contrast to this season, when he started 33 contests.
UConn dominance
It's hard to argue against UConn basketball being a blue blood. The Huskies have now won a total of six championships since 1999, with three different coaches. Jim Calhoun won three, behind the play of Ray Allen and Kemba Walker, among others. Kevin Ollie got his in 2014, with Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright.
The next coach to find success with the Huskies is now Dan Hurley. Hurley entered elite company on Monday by joining John Wooden, Billy Donovan and a few other head coaches to win back-to-back championships. The championships look even better, when one looks at the absolute dominance displayed by the Huskies in several of their tournament games.
Hurley will have to replace a lot of talent for next season, especially if Clingan decides to leave school. Hurley has shown he can win, and now he has the chance to do something even more spectacular: pull off a three-peat next season.
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