Donovan Clingan to return to UConn for sophomore season
UConn freshman big Donovan Clingan announced Saturday that he will return to school for his sophomore season.
The 7-foot-2 Connecticut native posted the news to social media, tweeting, "Running it back!," and saying on Instagram that he's, "Back in the mix to go get number 6."
Clingan was a key player off the bench for the Huskies en route to their fifth national title, averaging 6.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game in just 13.1 minutes of action over 39 contests. The 19-year-old will have a strong chance at becoming a first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft if he continues to put up impressive numbers and develop his game.
Clingan's plans to return to UConn for the 2023-2024 season and not enter the 2023 NBA Draft are huge for head coach Dan Hurley's squad. The Huskies are expected to return five of their top six scorers next season, while star guard Jordan Hawkins announced his plans on Friday to enter the NBA Draft.
Hurley and his staff have also recruited a consensus top five class for the 2023-2024 season that features one five-star recruit and four four-star recruits, per ESPN's rankings. Three of the recruits rank in the ESPN Top 100, including 6-foot-6 point guard Stephon Castle (No. 15) from Newton High School in Georgia, 6-foot-2 guard Solomon Ball (No. 55) from Brewster Academy in New Hampshire and 6-foot-6 wing Jaylin Stewart (No. 84) from Garfield High School in Seattle, Washington.
