Donovan Clingan

[CL82]

Connecticut: “People think that UConn is already my decision because they are close to home but that doesn’t mean they are. Coach Hurley and his staff have done a really good job of building the program back up and recruiting me.” [Sounds positive to me. He's just acknowledging it's not a done deal.]

Georgetown: “I mean it is Patrick Ewing, he’s a Hall of Fame big man. It is also a good school and I can’t wait to go visit.” [Given how they have struggle. I doubt GT is a leader.]

Michigan: “Juwan Howard was a great big man and Michigan is a great school and a great program that is doing really good things. Also, look at what they are doing with Hunter Dickinson.” [Worrisome he's seriously considering them.]

Notre Dame: “Mike Brey and and his staff are great. I’ve stayed in decent contact with them through all of this traveling. Hopefully I’ll get out there and visit.” [Strictly a tourism opportunity.]

Ohio State: “Coach Holtmann and Coach Diebler I talk to them a lot. They are a real good school. I mean it’s Ohio State and the Big Ten.” [?]

Providence: “Coach Cooley, he was one of the first coaches to offer me, trust me and believe in me from the beginning. He’s a real cool coach, really an even better person than he is a coach. They have a really nice staff over there.” [No commentary about quality of program or looking forward to visit.]

Rutgers: “Coach Pikiell has done a lot for that program. He’s brought them from the dirt into the NCAA Tournament this year. He can coach, he produces good players and I like the school.” [Surprisingly positive.]

Syracuse: “They were the first school to offer so that is always going to mean something. They believed in me and trusted me from the beginning, they have a Hall of Fame coach and they produce good players.” [Always going to mean something? Faint praise. The Fruit is already out.]

“Visiting all eight is the goal. It is just going to be what feels right," said Clingan. "I want to step on the campus and just feel like I want to go here. Also, the coaching staff and who is around me and all of that stuff.”
[I like our chances.]

 

[navery12]

Rutgers: “Coach Pikiell has done a lot for that program. He’s brought them from the dirt into the NCAA Tournament this year. He can coach, he produces good players and I like the school.” [Surprisingly positive.]

Pikiell is a Bristol guy like Donovan so the positivity makes sense

 

[Get a Job]

Connecticut: “People think that UConn is already my decision because they are close to home but that doesn’t mean they are. Coach Hurley and his staff have done a really good job of building the program back up and recruiting me.” [Sounds positive to me. He's just acknowledging it's not a done deal.]

Georgetown: “I mean it is Patrick Ewing, he’s a Hall of Fame big man. It is also a good school and I can’t wait to go visit.” [Given how they have struggle. I doubt GT is a leader.]

Michigan: “Juwan Howard was a great big man and Michigan is a great school and a great program that is doing really good things. Also, look at what they are doing with Hunter Dickinson.” [Worrisome he's seriously considering them.]

Notre Dame: “Mike Brey and and his staff are great. I’ve stayed in decent contact with them through all of this traveling. Hopefully I’ll get out there and visit.” [Strictly a tourism opportunity.]

Ohio State: “Coach Holtmann and Coach Diebler I talk to them a lot. They are a real good school. I mean it’s Ohio State and the Big Ten.” [?]

Providence: “Coach Cooley, he was one of the first coaches to offer me, trust me and believe in me from the beginning. He’s a real cool coach, really an even better person than he is a coach. They have a really nice staff over there.” [No commentary about quality of program or looking forward to visit.]

Rutgers: “Coach Pikiell has done a lot for that program. He’s brought them from the dirt into the NCAA Tournament this year. He can coach, he produces good players and I like the school.” [Surprisingly positive.]

Syracuse: “They were the first school to offer so that is always going to mean something. They believed in me and trusted me from the beginning, they have a Hall of Fame coach and they produce good players.” [Always going to mean something? Faint praise. The Fruit is already out.]

“Visiting all eight is the goal. It is just going to be what feels right," said Clingan. "I want to step on the campus and just feel like I want to go here. Also, the coaching staff and who is around me and all of that stuff.”
[I like our chances.]

"...brought them from the dirt..." LOL!

 

[peyton1211]

 

[CL82]

View attachment 67647

Unless that post is from @Zionn, I’m not worried about it.

 

[husky429]

View attachment 67647

This is meaningless.

 

[cap10dingus]

You must have an awesome dating life.
“I want her but I’m not a priority to her if I am she’ll let me know and i 100% will continue to make her a priority. If not i look forward to watching her succeed somewhere else, with someone else”.
okaaay.

Ironically you hit my dating life on the head here.....and I think I was supposed to be upset about it? LMAO

Loved all the different takes from my post. I also have to disagree with the take that being "hard to get" doesn't work. When I was recruited this is actually the EXACT strat that worked on me, not basketball or UConn. Coach for a school I was 'interested in" showed up unannounced, told me how interested they were but wanted to make sure "they weren't wasting my time." It's all about how you say things. I'm not suggesting we tell him he's wasting our time but you can word it to make it aggressively intriguing. "I'm reading too much into it" could very easily be true but it does seem his lone comment about UConn every time is they are in the running but he's VERY concerned about peoples perception that he's going there. IMO based on what I know, next to nothing, we need to change the story here and take a shot. Probably just as importantly for other recruits that see his comments. Always cracks me up how aggressive everyone gets on here at everyone else.

Back to dating, because I do think on some levels it works as a comp for recruiting. Big difference between being aggressive and demanding priority and being passive "as you see them be successful somewhere else." My meaning of that 'being successful somewhere else' is the delivery, prioritize me because I deserve it or move on is the message but saying that directly is suicide.

 

[HooperScooper]

Honestly the way this kid talks about UConn I think it's time for some tough love on the recruiting trail. "Listen Don, we don't want you here because we are close to home we want you here IF you want to be a Husky, if you want to be part of this culture, and if you will come in ready to help us achieve our goals. Don't let us waste your time if that's not something you want." Honestly the way this kid has been quoted about UConn, (don't take this the wrong way I want his talent), it's almost like he is only considering us because we are close but it's just the easy choice. Maybe we should make him feel like less of a priority has he has clearly made UConn. We don't need to beg. You either want to be here and just haven't decided yet or we can be fine w out you. There are 100 DC's and only a few UConn caliber programs. That simple. I'm almost off this kid, every time it's the same and he is a very talented project not a plug and play guy. Maybe I'm the only one but if DH came out and said "We want Don but we aren't a priority to him if we are he'll let us know and we 100% will continue to make him a priority. If not we look forward to watching him succeed somewhere else." I think I would have a lot of respect for DH for that. Maybe I'm reading too much between the lines.

As someone who has followed recruiting for over 20 years, my suggestion is don't take what recruits say in these interviews literally and don't try to read between the lines since none of us are privy to the discussions a recruit has with the coaches. Obviously he's not ready to commit to a school, including UConn, since he hasn't yet. UConn is on his list so they have a chance and we'll just have see how things develop.

 

[HuskyHawk]

As someone who has followed recruiting for over 20 years, my suggestion is don't take what recruits say in these interviews literally and don't try to read between the lines since none of us are privy to the discussions a recruit has with the coaches. Obviously he's not ready to commit to a school, including UConn, since he hasn't yet. UConn is on his list so they have a chance and we'll just have see how things develop.

Agreed. He said he wants to visit in person. So let him do that. It's not that hard.

We have seen guys who seemed like they had UConn near the top, and the staff deprioritizes and moves in a different direction. The staff will find out from Donovan whether we're in the game or not, with plenty of time to move on if not.

 

[Pgh2Storrs]

My read on his comments are that there’s definitely some frustration there, which is unfortunate, but one would hope he separates the recruiting madness from the factors that actually matter in regards to his development and education. As a high profile CT kid, I can’t imagine the pressure he feels from people around him to stay home, not to mention fans and idiots like us on a message board.

There’s certainly a negative side to it which is awful and it’s unfortunate he has to deal with it, but I think a big part of our focus on this recruit is that the UConn fan base is dying to embrace this kid into the family. He’s got a compelling backstory that draws people in and, by all accounts, is just a really great kid. In an age where, even at the HS level, high end kids jump around and play hopscotch from one elite basketball factory to another, he’s content to stay at his relatively small local HS so that he can honor his family and community. Arguments about development aside, that’s an incredibly cool and selfless action in this day and age.

Whether he picks us or not, hopefully people settle down a bit and give the kid space to make the best decision for him. If he does pick us, it hopefully will be coming from a place of comfort with his decision, as I think our fan base is going to be over the moon to finally be able to embrace him

 

[ucjoet]

My read on his comments are that there’s definitely some frustration there, which is unfortunate, but one would hope he separates the recruiting madness from the factors that actually matter in regards to his development and education. As a high profile CT kid, I can’t imagine the pressure he feels from people around him to stay home, not to mention fans and idiots like us on a message board.

There’s certainly a negative side to it which is awful and it’s unfortunate he has to deal with it, but I think a big part of our focus on this recruit is that the UConn fan base is dying to embrace this kid into the family. He’s got a compelling backstory that draws people in and, by all accounts, is just a really great kid. In an age where, even at the HS level, high end kids jump around and play hopscotch from one elite basketball factory to another, he’s content to stay at his relatively small local HS so that he can honor his family and community. Arguments about development aside, that’s an incredibly cool and selfless action in this day and age.

Whether he picks us or not, hopefully people settle down a bit and give the kid space to make the best decision for him. If he does pick us, it hopefully will be coming from a place of comfort with his decision, as I think our fan base is going to be over the moon to finally be able to embrace him

Wish I could like your post 10 times. Great job

 

[Huskygrad88]

I do agree he makes it a point practically every interview to mention how UConn isn’t an automatic. He’s not even asked he just goes out of his way to make that known. Why can’t you just leave it at what you like about Hurley and the program?

Because he is asked essentially the same question every day by a different person (and likely sometimes by the same person). I would have the stock answer after a while too.

 

[Road2Six]

Because he is asked essentially the same question every day by a different person (and likely sometimes by the same person). I would have the stock answer after a while too.

The question was basically what’s going on with Connecticut what do you like about them. Nothing remotely about us being in the lead. You don’t think every recruit gets asked those questions by hometown people? He’s the only one that I’ve seen mention it specifically almost every time when not being asked by a reporter.

 

[Captbluefin]

Sounds like we are his “safety school”.

 

[CL82]

Sounds like we are his “safety school”.

How so?

 

[ucjoet]

Sounds like we are his “safety school”.

Maybe I am too optimistic, but I see it the exact opposite. We are probably at top of his list, but he doesn’t ( and shouldn’t) pronounce it to everyone who asks.

 

[husky429]

Maybe I am too optimistic, but I see it the exact opposite. We are probably at top of his list, but he doesn’t ( and shouldn’t) pronounce it to everyone who asks.

This is it. He almost seems defensive about it--he's probably sick of the questions. I would imagine the IDEA of places like Michigan is probably really appealing. But anyone who thinks we're out of this isn't thinking--the kid wouldn't leave BRISTOL for high school, let alone the state or New England. The hometown school is going to be in it until the end.

If I were his parent, Michigan would have to be high on my list though. Fantastic academics, great basketball and a recent history developing bigs that can pass the rock like Donovan.

 

[Huskygrad88]

The question was basically what’s going on with Connecticut what do you like about them. Nothing remotely about us being in the lead. You don’t think every recruit gets asked those questions by hometown people? He’s the only one that I’ve seen mention it specifically almost every time when not being asked by a reporter.

My assumption, and all we can do is see this through our own lens, is that I think it may just be auto pilot. Hear the school UConn (regardless of the detail of the question)...response #3. Hear the school Michigan...response #7. Hear the school Rutgers...mention Pikell. In truth, just my supposition because like everyone else here...making up my own narrative.

 

[uconnfan68]

If I were his parent, Michigan would have to be high on my list though. Fantastic academics, great basketball and a recent history developing bigs that can pass the rock like Donovan.

This is just wrong. Very good academics, like UConn. 4 NCs since 1999? Nah. Recent history of developing bigs? 1 guy?

 

[husky429]

This is just wrong. Very good academics, like UConn. 4 NCs since 1999? Nah. Recent history of developing bigs? 1 guy?

Michigan's academics blow UConn's out of the water. Don't be an idiot. You can't possibly think UConn's academics are on par with UMs. I GO TO UConn and know that. Their endowment is bigger, the town is way better, their undergrad rankings are higher than UConn everywhere you look.

Yes, 1 guy. And the 4 championships don't mean nearly as much as you'd think. It was a different era. Our current coach, as much as I love him, has no history developing NBA bigs. Howard does.

The reason we're recruiting at a high level is because of our brilliant staff and the big east conference. Our history is great for our reputation, but plenty of schools (including Michigan) have a good rep historically.

 

[Guapo]

Maybe I am too optimistic, but I see it the exact opposite. We are probably at top of his list, but he doesn’t ( and shouldn’t) pronounce it to everyone who asks.

We think just about writers, but also think about his classmates and friends; some of whom (I hope) are UConn fans

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I said no such thing...just taking an opportunity to post the guys highlights, although I do disagree with you. And it's the Boneyard, we latch on to the most minute details in a post, regardless of the overall point.

Were you setting a trap for me by omitting the apostrophe in "guys?" Well played, if so.

 

[upstater]

Michigan's academics blow UConn's out of the water. Don't be an idiot. You can't possibly think UConn's academics are on par with UMs. I GO TO UConn and know that. Their endowment is bigger, the town is way better, their undergrad rankings are higher than UConn everywhere you look.

Yes, 1 guy. And the 4 championships don't mean nearly as much as you'd think. It was a different era. Our current coach, as much as I love him, has no history developing NBA bigs. Howard does.

The reason we're recruiting at a high level is because of our brilliant staff and the big east conference. Our history is great for our reputation, but plenty of schools (including Michigan) have a good rep historically.

Does it matter for a basketball player?

Talked to a couple D1 ADs on a sports field this week. Not from my school. Both were talking about the extreme pressures on athletes in the top sports. They now, they know. I should say UM v. UConn academics discussion is impractical. As it stands, the athletes can only choose from a few majors anyway.

Just have a look at the majors of the kids on the rosters now.

 

[husky429]

Does it matter for a basketball player?

Talked to a couple D1 ADs on a sports field this week. Not from my school. Both were talking about the extreme pressures on athletes in the top sports. They now, they know. I should say UM v. UConn academics discussion is impractical. As it stands, the athletes can only choose from a few majors anyway.

Just have a look at the majors of the kids on the rosters now.

No academics don't matter to most athletes. Their tutors do half the work anyways. That's why my first post said "his parent"

 

[connVA]

No academics don't matter to most athletes. Their tutors do half the work anyways. That's why my first post said "his parent"

Case in point about how “Public Ivy” level academic status and athletics have nothing to do with each other- North Carolina