Donovan Clingan is the future of basketball. An unmatched work ethic has fueled his rise from dominating courts back home to leading his college to a National Championship. A natural talent with a fierce drive, the 20-year-old turned heads early in high school, and his journey has only gained momentum ever since. Behind his success is a family that’s been with him every step of the way.

Where is Portland Trail Blazers’ rookie Donovan Clingan from?

Donovan John Clingan was born on February 23, 2004, in Bristol, Connecticut, U.S. Thus, making his nationality American. The hoopster, also, nicknamed “Cling Kong” comes from a family supporting basketball. “I play basketball to make her proud. I wanted to do something to honor her and I feel like basketball was the best fit for me because I love the sport so much and she did, too.” This is how he honors his mother, the late Stacey Porrini Clingan. But why? Was she a basketball star too?

His mum became a Connecticut Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer in 2024, a Bristol Sports Hall of Famer in 2016, and was also enshrined into the University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 2023. She played at Bristol Central, where she set school records for career 1,032 rebounds and 273 blocks. But she didn’t just stop there.

She then excelled at the University of Maine and ended her game with a record of 1,128 points and 929 rebounds! Unfortunately, this hoops legend left the world on March 27, 2018, to breast cancer at just 42. Her collegiate coach Joanne P. McCallie describes her as “a warrior of character in all ways.” However, she was more than just a hoopster.

At Maine, she received her undergraduate degree in elementary education; at Central Connecticut State University, she received her master’s. Even after being a standout player, she returned to her hometown Bristol to have a career in teaching. She taught at the Ellen P. Hubbell and Greene-Hills elementary schools. Donovan shared his prized memories with her. “When she was here, she was always telling me about the memories she had from March Madness and everything that went on. She was always talking about the parades, the police escorts, all that type of stuff. For me to be here and see what she was saying, in person, it’s crazy.”

Well, she will be so proud of what her son has become today, and for that, Donovan Clingan can definitely pat his own back! With that said, let’s know about the rest of his family members.

His father, Bill Clingan, wasn’t someone from the world of sports, but his guidance and support have been crucial. Bill worked as an Eversource Electric Field Operations Supervisor. Now going to his siblings, he just has one, his little sister Olivia Clingan. She also went to Bristol Central High School and graduated in 2023. As of now, she’s pursuing her higher education at Clemson’s Wilbur O.

So, we aren’t aware of Donovan’s ethnicity completely, but the Porrini and Clingan surnames are Irish and Italian. It’s not just that. Donovan is also an Irish name, which means dark/brown-haired chieftain. But we won’t be assuming much. Information on his religion is also not known. Now we know a lot about his family and their story, so it’s time to know about how he made it to the NBA.

Clingan’s journey from Bristol to UConn to the Portland Trail Blazers

Donovan Clingan’s journey to the NBA has been one marked by determination. His journey started with leading his high school, Bristol Central High School’s team, to a state championship in 2022. He also played AAU basketball for Joe Chatman’s Team Spartans in Dorchester, Massachusetts, where he honed his skills. Do you know his unbelievable stats from his junior year?

By his junior year, Clingan was unstoppable! He averaged 27.3 points, 17.2 rebounds, and 5.8 blocks per game. Cling Kong’s performance earned him the prestigious Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year award. He repeated this honor in his senior year, raising his averages to 30.3 points, 18.4 rebounds, and 6.2 blocks per game!

He then went to UConn. His commitment to UConn in 2021 over offers from other top schools like Michigan and Ohio State was a major turning point. Did he always know he’d be a Husky? The hoopster’s connection with UConn was more than just basketball—he had deep ties with close friends, Victor Rosa, UConn’s football star.

In college, the hoopster started as a backup center but quickly proved his value. By the end of his freshman year, Donovan Clingan was named to the Big East All-Freshman team. Did you know, later he had a role in UConn’s national championship victory in 2023? Yes, and he contributed four points, three rebounds, and two steals. Despite all this, a dark cloud loomed over him as he wasn’t draft-eligible in 2023. But he wasn’t ready to give up as he returned for his sophomore season to further develop his game.

In 2024, after a brief foot injury setback, he declared for the NBA draft and the Trail Blazers acquired him as their 7th overall pick. The question now is: Would his growth at UConn have prepared him for the next level? What’s next in Clingan’s NBA journey?