Yahoo Sports Commentary
The Rockets have invested heavily in guard play the last few drafts with Jalen Green and Amen Thompson last year. Adding Clingan to anchor the defense could bring some added size to bang with the talented centers in the Western Conference. Clingan dealt with injuries all season, but he was at full strength during the postseason and helped lead UConn to back-to-back titles. The 7-2 center held his own against 7-4 Zach Edey, the most dominant player in college basketball, and solidified himself as the next big off the board after Sarr. In a tournament win over Northwestern, Clingan flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 14 points, 14 rebounds and eight blocks in 27 minutes. He moves well laterally for his size and has the footwork to defend the pick-and-roll and recover to the block.