The NCAA Tournament title game not only features the two most dominant teams this season but also the top big men in Division I. It’s a matchup of old-school centers between two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey of Purdue and Donovan Clingan of UConn.
In a different era, those low-post giants would have been the top picks of the draft. The 7’4” Edey has faced double and triple teams most of his college career but has simply towered over and overpowered those defenders. He’s finishing his college career with a flourish, averaging 28.0 points, 15.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 blocks during this year’s tournament.
Clingan was the nation’s best backup big man last season behind Adama Sanogo. The 7’2” Clingan moved into a starting role this season and has improved his draft stock this spring by averaging 16.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 3.6 blocks in the Huskies’ five tournament victories.
They are menacing low post presences at both ends of the floor but the college game is different from the pros. Traditional NBA centers have given way to more athletic players who can guard multiple positions and step out to stretch the floor offensively.
Edey has improved his conditioning — he’s averaging 35 minutes in the NCAAs — and footwork but does most of his damage within eight feet of the basket. The Boilermakers’ guards are adept at getting the ball to Edey at his sweet spots in the low post. Similarly, his defensive prowess is predicated on his sheer size and bulk.
Clingan offers a similar menacing presence at the rim but he’s more mobile and can cover more ground. He’s an effective screen-and-roller but, like Edey, most of his buckets come at or near the basket. He’s made a few three-pointers but, like Edey, will have to work on extending his range.
Currently in a weak draft, Clingan is considered the best domestic product. He’s listed as No. 3 overall on ESPN’s latest Best Available list. Edey is ranked No. 2 among centers and No. 13 overall. It’s a major rise for a projected second-round prospect last year when Edey tested the draft waters before deciding to return to Purdue one more season.
That brings us to our topic of the day: Which center in tonight’s NCAA championship game will have the biggest impact in the NBA — Purdue’s Zach Edey or UConn’s Donovan Clingan?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
Fear Memphis if they can score Clingan, id try to move up a couple spots if I was Mem to secure that long term fit w JJ Ja Bane. This should be their last trip into lottery land for awhile so go BIG
No question the better prospect even if Edey gets his number tonight
Agree, I think edey has a high floor to be a solid center at least (like a zubac type), but clingan has a higher ceiling and chance to be a really dynamic player
Watching this title game right now … Donovan Clingan??? LMAO! He looks like a slower version of Kristaps Porzingis except Clingan has No offensive game whatsoever, has bad feet, and doesn’t provide much rim protection. He cannot guard Zach Edey. At All! How is he supposed to guard NBA centers??? He is only a center. He has no offensive game and no three-ball. Clingan doesn’t even have average rebounding skills. This is the #3 overall pick????? What is going on with American basketball.
The NCAA is not doing these kids any favours…
This question is not even worth an article or write up. There’s nothing to discuss here. One guy will be a very good NBA Center in time. The other guy should never see an NBA floor ever in his entire life.
Anyone who watches tonight will see exactly what I’m talking about.
Clingan is a better prospect. Has a solid chance to be a starting center. His legs are better. Moves so can play rim protector. Runs better and can step out to perimeter.
Edey still needs development. He can be a solid NBA player for yrs. Has to be more athletic. Tonight should tell a lot about where they both are now. Can they handle 32-34 mins against bigs in NBA. And for 82 gms ….. plus
Clingan cannot guard Edey …. How is he gonna guard ANYBODY in the NBA????
Who in the NBA plays like Edey ????
The one game wonder …… right. We all wonder lol
Like I said Clingan is the better prospect.
Barry you can tell by watching Clingan he’s the better athlete and will have the better NBA career. And it’s not even close.
If you understood the NBA you would know it’s about foot speed, quickness, lateral movement, versatility, switching. Clingan can do that stuff and Zach Edey has no chance at all at doing those things.
Big man no longer has value in the “new” NBA. 20 years ago would be different. There is no longer development in the NBA. It’s sink or swim, just like NFL quarterbacks. Why develop a player who doesn’t shoot the 3, and only plays center, and is limited offensively?? Who exactly do you need him to guard??
If Kristaps Porzingis can’t shoot the three-ball. Do you realize how dramatically different the defense becomes with him on the floor? Clingan doesn’t shoot the 3. Clingan is a minus rebounder. Clingan brings average rim protection. 20 years ago. Clingan would be a solid development prospect. NOT the #3 overall pick in the draft. What “franchise-altering” skills is he bringing to the table??? Just being better than the other terrible bigs??? Edey and Clingan are both better than Fillipowski. These are the guys you want to get with top 10 picks??
There’s no development in the NBA today…. Jesus dude I don’t know which team failed your favorite prospect but you’re just saying nonsense.
Edey seems like the consummate “game doesn’t translate to the pros” guy.
Can’t “develop” seven foot four 280. At the very least you’re talking a lane clogging menace and offensive rebounding machine. If he can learn how to shoot a 15 footer he’s a good starting C in the league. And he’s a 70% free throw shooter so he does have a little touch.
The man can’t catch the ball and has Stone hands. What do you mean offensive rebounding machine? He shot 50% tonight and didn’t take a shot outside of six feet lol.
His game has more translation than Donovan Clingan. Clingan is a Center, who doesn’t shoot the three, or score for that matter. He is a below average rebounder. He has bad feet. Limited rim protection. How does this fit in the NBA???
If the Washington Wizards have the #3 pick, and draft Donovan Clingan. They have gained less than what they got picking Corey Kispert.
In 22mins he’s putting up 13 an 7.5. In his first yr starting. Yet for you it’s about a half a gm. …. right.
Did you take a look at who he put up 13 and 7.5 against??? Have you seen how bad the talent level is in college right now??? It’s horrific.
Clingan is the better NBA prospect and it’s not even particularly close. Zach Edey is literally just another Luka Garza, end of bench big in the pros.
At least Garza can shoot lol
would shaq still be shaq in todays nba?
His speed and power combination when he was young would still have value. His career would have been way shorter though because by the end it was just power without speed of any kind.
I agree with you in that Cavs and Celtics Shaq was really really strong, but declined in speed.
I also think he would have value; to me, he would be able to replicate, and Even go higher his scoring average.
The only thing that could limit his impact nowadays comparatively, would be offensive plan and playstyle. If his usage were lower due to players and coaches privileging outside shooting than scoring two points, yes, he would score less.
he wouldn’t be the Shaq we all know and think of but he’d have a successful career.He had speed and power but he had a finesse when it came to passing that you don’t see in most bigs.
We are talking about the most powerful (strength+speed = power) player in NBA history, arguably debatable with Chamberlain, who I didn’t see play.
Shaq was as fast as a guard, and simply much, much, much stronger than anybody else.
We compare Zion to Shaq, yet Zion is 6’6.
Zion faces up and drives from further, but Shaq just wasn’t asked to nor didn’t need to.
I can see coaches and teams, coming up with some kind of strategy to cover Shaq’s supposed lack of ability to defend in the perimeter. I can tell You that, if Shaq were asked to switch with guards, he could do more than he did; Even so, in todays Game, I don’t know if he would be asked to step out and defend at the three point line: but just to be let roaming and terrorizing the paint.
Look, Embiid is 7’2, 285 lbs. And a heck of a player. He’s very Big, strong, plays hard and his post game is flat out excellent, very talented, lots of moves and great fundamentals, coordinated, he’s a heck of a player. But prime Shaq would just simply overpower him, and stuff the ball in the rim like he did to every other center during his prime.
Yes…
Shaq was a true athlete when he came into the NBA…
No one could stop him, so the other NBA teams got a lot of brawlers in to slow him down… Players with no skill besides being big n strong…
Which did slow him down as Shaq packed on the pounds and the injuries took their toll…
He’d still be a dominant force that people looked at as a starting calibre centre… His career would of just taken a different trajectory as he’d slim down instead of bulk up…
But if he was in the same draft as a Luka or Wemby he wouldn’t be the top pick…
Clingan already has a pretty decent looking stroke on his 3 point attempts. I see an easy transition to shooting 3’s. He also can switch out on smaller players defensively. Edey has a chance to be a good pro if he can develop a 15-24 foot shot.
Clingan has better movement, he also attempts 3s.
Edey does not extend passed the ft line and one note on offense.
Edey can play 10-15min a game depending on match up. He isn’t going to dominate enough on offense or stretch the floor.
Edey gassed out after 10min in the game. He couldn’t score and was not rim protecting after he had his 16pts early.
Take a chance on some young kid from outside of the US instead…
If the NBA was smart they’d be putting research dollars into figuring out how to combine the DNA of these big guys with someone like Stephen curry in a sort of jurassic Park situation. Then we would see some incredible basketball…
What often happens is bigs in college do really well cause it’s hard to find guys that can match them for size and power etc. But when it comes to the NBA these kids can’t just overpower the competition and they struggle.
Pre draft they get hyped up and in the draft they end up falling down the pecking order.
Clingan is the better prospect but won’t go top 5, I’d say around 10-15th is more likely, and Edey will slide to the second round for a team that’ll take a flier on him. Edey if he can round out his game with foot speed/lateral movement etc or a 3 point shot he could carve out a role. Clingam on the other hand could play straight away although won’t put up great numbers and also needs development
In today’s NBA game, which has leaned heavily into transition and perimeter offense, a traditional big man may not seem like a good fit. Yet, Purdue’s Matt Painter recognized that Edey presented a massive problem for defenders — either double- or triple-team him and leave perimeter players wide open, or play him up even and have him dominate near the hoop. Clingan has many of the tools that Edey has but is a couple of years removed from having the same level of polish and footwork that Edey has now.
Edey might be a good 2nd round option for a team looking for a rim protector and high-percentage paint guy that they can make the keystone of a second unit. He can then gain experience and grow his game to adapt to the rigors of an NBA season.