Bilas: "I think there's a very good chance Donovan Clingan comes back."

[ctbro1999]

Towards the end of the video, billis says that he thinks clinging is coming back. Is he smoking crack, or is there any possibility of this? Of course I would love for him to play one more year as a Husky, But I don't see any way he comes back as an almost guaranteed lottery pick in the draft.

 

[YoungFree]

Towards the end of the video, billis says that he thinks clinging is coming back. Is he smoking crack, or is there any possibility of this? Of course I would love for him to play one more year as a Husky, But I don't see any way he comes back as an almost guaranteed lottery pick in the draft.

Maybe he promised his mom to graduate?

 

[Brochacho]

It would be a disservice to Clingan to have him back for another year.

 

[MTBingNinja]

His prediction on the NCAA Tournament Bracket wasn’t very accurate either

 

[aburks41]

Hurley won’t let him come back if he’s a projected lottery pick (which he is). NIL cannot replace a $20M+ guaranteed contract. He needs to go make multi-generational wealth for his entire family and then donate some of it towards our future NIL to fund his replacement

 

[ninety-nine]

The way he talked about how hard it would be not seeing Newton, Spencer and the other graduating players around the locker room anymore... mentally, Clingan may not have shifted into the mindset that he's leaving yet. We'll see if that means anything. Most of us would advise him to leave and take the bag, but again, it's not our place to tell him how to live his life. If he maintains college eligibility, he's entitled to use it if he wants to. What's Hurley gonna do, kick him off the team? That wouldn't be fair. You'd be forcing Donovan to do what you would do in that situation, partly because you think it makes your program look more attractive to spit out lottery picks as soon as they're viable.

There's also a chance that he's unsure about his physical stamina right now. He did have that foot injury.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

It's impossible to be any more torn as a fan...

Of course you want him back as probably the pre-season poy, anchor for a serious shot at a threepeat, etc.

However, for a gifted few, there are moments in life when windows open for you to a better life not just for you, but also for everyone you love. This is one of those moments for Clingan. He can't miss it.

 

[UC0NN]

Clingan isn't going to get playing time in the NBA until he polishes his offensive game. But that bag is that bag. Need to get it.

 

[businesslawyer]

Hurley won’t let him come back if he’s a projected lottery pick (which he is). NIL cannot replace a $20M+ guaranteed contract. He needs to go make multi-generational wealth for his entire family and then donate some of it towards our future NIL to fund his replacement

I‘d say it differently. Hurley’s job is to show him why he should declare for the draft and why it’s just not rational to make the decision to come back. Absolutely. But not let him? He’s a young man with his own family. If for whatever reason you and I deem irrational he wants to come back, you don’t tell him no. Guiders of young men and women have to try to lead them to the right choice, but not at the end of the day bar them from their choices. Part of guiding them into adulthood is at the end of the day respecting their decisions.

I hope he goes pro because I think it’s the right thing for him to do, and I’m sure Hurley believes that as well. But if DC wants to come back, you get him NIL money and buy an insurance policy that guaranties he doesn’t lose lottery money if he gets hurt and then you talk seriously about repeating. You don’t kick him out. Sheesh.

 

[HuskyFich]

Hurley has said if they are ready, he will make them leave the nest.

Hurley also acknowledged that he messed up with Bouknight and should have told him to stay another year because he wasn’t ready from a maturity standpoint, even though he was lottery.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Bilas may know a tiny amount more than some of us but that doesn't mean his comments in that interview were stating something that is etched in stone.

My stance will be that until I see that he isn't in the draft, he's played his last game here.

I do believe there is a legitimate chance he will need to be pushed into the draft at this point but Hurley will push him pretty hard to choose a life altering payday now over taking on risk and remaining in school.

 

[UC0NN]

You can make the same argument last year. He was projected late lottery based on potential. He took a HUGE risk coming back, and now he is top 5.

 

[ninety-nine]

It's impossible to be any more torn as a fan...

Of course you want him back as probably the pre-season poy, anchor for a serious shot at a threepeat, etc.

However, for a gifted few, there are moments in life when windows open for you to a better life not just for you, but also for everyone you love. This is one of those moments for Clingan. He can't miss it.

And I think both Hurley and his dad will likely give him that advice. I would give him that advice. But it's Donovan's life, and we don't know what he feels like he's ready for. I wasn't ready as a college sophomore to graduate and enter the working world. I needed all four years of my college time to mature enough (partly because I was a year younger than my grade-level peers). My college roommate paced himself to be on the five-year plan because he loved it so much. We both knew that once you enter the working world, that's it. It seems like it's different for that "gifted few," but the NBA is still the adult world. No one is holding your hand anymore, unless they're hoping to pry some dolla bills out of it.

 

[UConnStats]

Clingan is at worst a top 10 pick now. It would make no financial sense to return. UConn wouldn’t be contacting so many centers in the portal if this were the case either. Calling BS here.

 

[Leebo]

I've heard about 15 different talking heads say nonsensical things about our incoming roster... they just haven't looked into it deeply before they start blabbering.

 

[Blakeon18]

Whoever is pushing him this way or that... family/coach/friends etc I hope we/they agree that it is HIS life and his decision...he may have factors personally that will determine what he does.
Whatever he decides wish him well.

 

[ninety-nine]

Clingan is at worst a top 10 pick now. It would make no financial sense to return. UConn wouldn’t be contacting so many centers in the portal if this were the case either. Calling BS here.

UConn has to prepare for him to leave, whether or not he's actually made a final decision. Time is of the essence. I think he'll declare for the draft, but unlike most of our early departure situations, I could see him deciding he's not ready yet for a couple of reasons. OTOH, Castle I think is gone. He's healthy, and UConn probably isn't as much of a cocoon for him personally.

 

[JungleLobo]

You can make the same argument last year. He was projected late lottery based on potential. He took a HUGE risk coming back, and now he is top 5.

….and with foot injuries in his profile. Time to go.

 

[UconnFanDC]

I wouldn't be surprised if he returned. Paige is returning and has the opportunity to go pro. NIL has financially allowed them to wait for the pro riches

 

[Chin Diesel]

Clingan isn't going to get playing time in the NBA until he polishes his offensive game. But that bag is that bag. Need to get it.

Iron sharpens iron. He needs to start practicing every day against NBA bigs.

 

[CL82]

I wouldn't be surprised if he returned. Paige is returning and has the opportunity to go pro. NIL has financially allowed them to wait for the pro riches

Paige makes more NIL than Donovan and her WNBA salary is probably about $19 million less than what Donovan would make. The math is different for her.

 

[Fatroony5]

I wouldn't be surprised if he returned. Paige is returning and has the opportunity to go pro. NIL has financially allowed them to wait for the pro riches

The WNBA salary is less than $100 grand. Clingans salary would be at least like $5 million next year and guarantees probably around $20 million….

 

[Jaydumo20]

I wouldn't be surprised if he returned. Paige is returning and has the opportunity to go pro. NIL has financially allowed them to wait for the pro riches

This is true. NIL changes things.

I understand where DC may hesitate. Remember your first paycheck? Going from 0$ as a student to even a few hundred dollars in your pocket with little expenses made you feel rich. DC has no expenses, and is making a good amount of money as a student. He doesn't see the need for 20mill$ that a 30+ BY with kids and a mortgage does.
Plus, he is on top of the world. He is 2x champ, a legend on campus and on TV. In the NBA he would be another Rook earning his stripes.

 

[JungleLobo]

I wouldn't be surprised if he returned. Paige is returning and has the opportunity to go pro. NIL has financially allowed them to wait for the pro riches

The WNBA money is not in the same league.

 

[TheHorde]

Would love it to happen but I don’t see it happening. Even if Donovan is leaning that way, I’d be surprised if Hurley didn’t nudge him out of the nest like he did with Andre Jackson Jr. The risk of a serious injury is real. And Donovan is only 20. He’s a guaranteed lottery pick, which would mean a team would give him every opportunity to succeed. He could then be in position to get a second contract in his prime at only 25. That’s where the real money is, as Jim Calhoun has said.