I'm not a big college basketball guy so i didn't watch March Madness live, but now that we have Clingan i was interested in going back and checking out his games when i had time, and wow…the breakdowns of him that i watched pre draft undersold him big time. The winning impact was absolutely unreal.
If theres anyone else out there who didn't watch those games, i recommend at least checking out his game against Illinois [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0shW64QKGw ] where Clingan puts on one of the most dominant defensive performances you'll ever see.
One thing that was said by some people pre-draft is Clingan's dominance was largely due to a size advantage that wont be as prevalent in the NBA. Watching these games though, his dominance as a defensive anchor is due to a great mix of not only size, but also an incredible feel for the game/high BBIQ. He's just always in the right spot.
People acted like it was crazy Atlanta was considering him at #1… I really don't think it was that wild. He's gonna be more impactful than Risacher. He really shouldn't have fell to us. I think teams like Charlotte will regret chasing theoretical upside when the engine to an elite defense was sitting right there.
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The wildest thing about that game was that Illinois’s strategy was to go at Clingan early and often. They thought they would eventually wear him down. It did not work out for them.
I think he’ll still have a “size aura” in the NBA. While yes, NBA players will be bigger and make his size inside seem less significant, the thing that makes Clingan’s defensive presence so good is the size AND how fucking good his timing/patience is. I think he’s good for 2 blocks a game easily by his prime.
I noticed it watching him in summer league. It’s just a different game when he’s in there protecting the rim.
Can he shoot 3s?
It’s going to be a nightmare watching him defend the high pick and roll his first few seasons. Opponents will know we are going to run drop and if the opposing PG is a proficient 3pt shooter things are going to be rough. He impressed me in summer league though, very high IQ and just has a good feel for the game of where he needs to be. Definitely was the right pick for where our pick landed in the draft.