“He is a part of my family” - Donovan Clingan’s high school coach once expressed his fondness for former UConn star 

Donovan Clingan is on the verge of heading to the NBA. The former UConn Huskie has declared for the NBA Draft and is likely to be a top 10 pick.

Clingan has become one of the best players in college basketball, leading the Huskies to two consecutive national championships. But it appears that Clingan had always been a standout player.

Tim Barrette, Clingan's high school basketball coach, once spoke to The Connecticut Insider about having a player like Clingan on the team. He also discussed the role that the coach played in his life.

“I always just want to be an ear for him to turn to and try to serve more as a mentor and friend now that he has graduated... He is a part of my family, not only to me , but my wife and son as well. He knows I will be there for whatever he needs along his journey. I genuinely love that kid. Been through a lot together. I can’t tell you how proud I am of him for the person and player he has turned into.”

The relationship between player and coach is a unique one. Players trust their coaches and look up to them as role models. In return, coaches help the players develop both as players in their respective sports and as people overall.

These relationships are generally positive, and in the case of Barrette and Clinigan, one that is long lasting.

While at high school, Clingan was one of the state's best players. During his entire high school career, Clingan scored 2,268 points, which is the seventh-highest in Connecticut high school basketball history. This included one game where he scored 51 points.

Donovan Clingan made a double-double in 62 of the final 65 games he played in high school. Barrette has given a reason why he didn't make a double-double in all of these games:

"And in two that he didn’t, it was because we were winning by too much and he didn’t play in the second half."

Donovan Clingan was a strong high school player, and was able to easily bring his abilities over to college with the UConn Huskies.

Where could Donovan Clingan be drafted at?

Donovan Clingan is a near-certain top 10 pick in the NBA Draft. But where could he end up?

A prediction done by CBS Sports on Draft Day has put Clingan as the seventh pick of the NBA Draft. This means that he will be drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers.

As for the number one pick, the CBS prediction has stated that the Atlanta Hawks will be drafting French basketball star Zaccharie Risacher. Fellow French man Alex Sarr is predicted to be the second pick.

However, if the Hawks decide not to go with either of the French players, there is a possibility that the Hawks could take Donovan Clingan as the first pick. If this does not happen, analysts are predicting that he may fall outside the top five and end up as a sixth or seventh pick, just as CBS has predicted.