Donovan Clingan talks to the Portland media on Draft Night

Donovan Clingan talks to the Portland media on Draft Night

okay we’ll go to Austin white with the Portland Tribune Donovan congratulations appreciate it thank you yes just kind of what’s the what’s kind of your first uh your first mindset you know getting to work with some of these young guards that that Portland has and scoo and shanen and Anthony Simons yeah know I’m really excited um you know I know I’ve been watching The League past couple years and you know see the talent that they have and the potential that you know this team has come forward you know I’m really excited to get to work really excited to you know build a great relationship with the staff the my teammates and you know everyone in the building um you know and I really just want to learn every day I want to grow every day and I want to try to bring championships back to Portland all right we’ll go to Sean Heen with the Rose Garden report uh Donovan what was uh this your contact with the lasers like during this uh pre-draft process like how early did you kind of feel like they had serious interest in you and what was your workouts with them like in your meetings yeah I mean I feel like they had interest really from you know from the beginning um you know they were my second workout throughout the pre-draft process and um you know it went really well shot the ball at a high level and you know it was great people everyone I would L to be around and you know I’m really excited to get out there and get to work all right we’ll go to BR green with coin I imagine as somebody who grew up in Connecticut and then played basketball in Connecticut you haven’t spent a lot of time in the Pacific Northwest so just was wondering your general impressions of Portland while you were here for your draw workout it was nice um it was really it really really cool just to be out somewhere you know really across the country the opposite side of you know where Connecticut’s from um you know just a a new landscape and you know I’m really excited to get out there and start meeeting everyone and getting to work you have another one Sean okay cool any other questions for Donovan all right Austin white Portland Tribune Donovan what what do you think is kind of the the biggest lesson you’re taking from Yukon uh that you’re going to be bringing with you to the NBA um you know don’t change as a person and just show up and be ready to learn and give everything you have every single day um you know especially coming in as a rookie as a young kid you know you just got to come in with the mindset to be willing to learn be willing to be coached and you know you just got to take a game to the next level because it only gets harder from here okay we’ll go to Orlando Sanchez KGW congratulations man I just want to know what is going through your mind right now can you just describe the emotion and seeing your dreams come true yeah I’m super excited Super thrilled blessed uh you know it doesn’t feel real but you know I’ve worked really hard for this moment my whole life and you know I’m I’m really excited to get it going all right awesome thank you so much Donovan appreciate your time and congratulations again appreciate it thank you

The Blazers selected UConn big man Donovan Clingan with the No.7 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Following the pick, the newest Trail Blazer took the time to talk to local media via Zoom.