Donovan Clingan gaining steam as potential No. 1 pick in Wednesday’s 2024 NBA Draft

Perhaps no player has seen their stock rise more than Donovan Clingan since the early days of the 2024 NBA Draft process. 

The UConn big man has long been considered a likely lottery pick in this year’s draft, but over the past week, Clingan has vaulted into the No. 1 pick conversation nearly 24 hours away from the festivities. 

Earlier this month, Clingan was 15/1 at FanDuel Sportsbook to be the first player off the board but climbed down to +850 after Ringer founder Bill Simmons mentioned on a podcast that he could be the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. 

Clingan has gained even more helium since then, and with one day to go before the draft, the former Huskie is +260, the second-best odds behind Zaccharie Risacher (-230), to be the top pick. 

The opening favorite, French prospect Alexandre Sarr, has since seen his chances at going No. 1 plummet, going from as high as -300 to be the top pick to +650 as of Tuesday afternoon. 

2024 NBA Draft No. 1 pick odds

In what’s widely considered a weak draft class, Clingan is seen as one of the surest prospects among projected lottery picks. 

In two years at UConn, Clingan won two national championships under head coach Dan Hurley, serving as a backup in 2023 before starring for the Huskies this past year.

Clingan is considered a strong rim protector and shot blocker, averaging 2.5 blocks per game, with an excellent feel around the basket on offense. 

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Even if Clingan’s not the first player off the board, he is a near-lock to go in the top five, according to FanDuel, at -430. 

Though he’s still a long shot, Clingan’s UConn teammate, Stephon Castle, also has jumped up the odds board for the No. 1 pick, going from 100/1 to 20/1 over the past couple of weeks.