Donovan Clingan Injury History

Donovan Clingan is a 7-foot-2 center for the Portland Trail Blazers as of November 2024. Born on February 23, 2004, in Bristol, Connecticut, Clingan attended Bristol Central High School, where he led the boys' basketball team to a state championship in 2022. Known for his towering presence, he averaged an impressive 30.3 points, 18.4 rebounds, and 6.2 blocks per game during his senior year. Clingan won the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year award in back-to-back years and wore the number 32 jersey as a tribute to his mother, Stacey, who was a standout player at Bristol Central and passed away from breast cancer in 2018.

After high school, Clingan played at the University of Connecticut (UConn) from 2022 to 2024. At UConn, he became a fan favorite and was nicknamed “Cling Kong” due to his height and skills. Clingan won back-to-back NCAA championships with UConn in 2023 and 2024, averaging 9.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. In the 2024 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers selected Clingan with the seventh overall pick. He made his NBA debut on October 23, 2024, recording two points and two rebounds. On November 13, 2024, Donovan Clingan had a standout breakout game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Going up against four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, rookie Clingan delivered an impressive stat line: he scored 17 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and made a huge impact on defense with 8 blocks. As of November 14, 2024, Clingan was averaging 4.83 points and 4.9 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per game.

Donovan Clingan’s Injury History

Donovan Clingan is a promising rookie for the Portland Trail Blazers who is still in the early stages of his NBA career. As of November 14, 2024, Donovan Clingan has played all 13 games with the Trail Blazers, and so far, his NBA career has been free from major injuries. However, his time before the NBA saw a significant injury that briefly interrupted his college career.

Major Injuries Donovan Clingan Sustained Before the NBA

Right Foot Tendon Injury (December 2023 - January 2024)

One of the more notable injuries in Clingan’s career occurred during his sophomore year at UConn. In December 2020, Donovan Clingan suffered a right foot tendon injury that caused him to miss 4 weeks of action as per ESPN. The injury happened early in the second half of UConn’s game against Seton Hall on December 20, 2023, as per the AP News.

It was considered to be just an ankle sprain initially, but an MRI revealed the tendon injury in his right foot. This was not the first foot injury Clingan had dealt with, as he had missed much of the preseason in 2020 with a foot strain. After a month, Clingan returned to action in February 2024.