BROOKLYN, N.Y. — While it’s still over a month away, the 2024 NBA Draft is quickly approaching and UConn Men’s Basketball will be well represented at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. where the festivities will be held.
The Huskies are quite familiar with the Barclays Center, where they routed Stetson and dismantled Northwestern in the first two rounds of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, en route to their second of back-to-back national championships.
Up to five Huskies will return to the arena next month to participate in the NBA draft. The entire starting five from the 2024 national championship team will partake in the 2024 NBA Draft Combine, a weeklong event that began on Sunday at Wintrust Arena and the Marriot Marquis in Chicago.
On June 27, sophomore center Donovan Clingan and freshman guard Stephon Castle are projected to be chosen at the top of the lottery, while graduate guards Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer could hear their names called in the second round.
Sophomore forward Alex Karaban entered the NBA Draft but did not hire an agent and maintains his college eligibility. Following his performance at the combine, and lengthy conversations with his family, UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley, and NBA teams, Karaban will decide if he plans to turn pro.
Donovan Clingan
After battling injuries throughout the regular season, the 7-foot-2 center from Bristol saw his draft status skyrocket during the postseason. After a strong Big East Conference Tournament, Clingan averaged 15.3 points per game over the course of six NCAA Tournament games, more than two points above his season average. Clingan also averaged 8.3 rebounds during the six-game stretch. At times, against high level teams, “Cling Kong” was unstoppable offensively in the paint.
It was Clingan’s stellar defense, however, that set him apart. In the second round against Northwestern, “The Great Wall of Bristol” recorded eight blocks. He followed that up with five blocks in the Elite Eight against Illinois.
To put the historic Illinois performance in perspective, when Clingan was on the floor, the Fighting Illini scored only 14 points, shooting 5-38. On shots that Clingan personally contested that evening, Illinois was 0-19.
While Clingan was likely always going to be a first-round NBA Draft pick, he put the best basketball of his career on tape in March, and it was viewed by a national audience, propelling him into the Top-10 discussion.
CBS currently projects Clingan, a two-time NCAA Tournament champion, as the No. 6 pick in the draft, while Sports Illustrated has him going No. 7 overall. Bleacher Report also has Clingan projected as the No. 6 pick, and ESPN has him rated as the No. 3 overall prospect with a chance to be drafted first overall.
The only perceived weakness of Clingan’s game is his lack of a jump shot, but his true, fundamental shooting form and improvement at the free throw line over two years at UConn give NBA scouts confidence that he will be able to expand his game behind the three-point line in the years to come.
Stephon Castle
Entering his freshman year, the 6-foot-6 Castle was projected as a lottery pick, and his brief run in Storrs did not disappoint. Over the course of the season, Castle averaged 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 47.2% from the field and improving significantly from month to month after an injury held him out in late November and early December.
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During March Madness, Castle raised his averages, scoring 12.5 points per game and grabbing 5.7 rebounds per contest while shooting 49.1% from the field. Arguably, the best performance of his college career came in the Final Four against Alabama. As the Huskies went through a rare offensive struggle early versus the Crimson Tide, Castle helped carry the team through the stretch, ultimately scoring 21 points.
Two nights later, in the national championship game against Purdue, Castle played a postseason-high 34 minutes while recording 15 points. Castle’s length and athleticism also made him one of the best perimeter defenders in the country, even as a freshman. He was constantly tasked with guarding the opponent’s best perimeter player. While Castle must grow offensively, his defense is just about NBA-ready.
In addition to his size and athletic ability, Castle’s maturity is envied by scouts across the league. As a highly touted freshman, Castle assumed his role brilliantly in 2023-2024 and complimented First-Team All-Big East guards Newton and Spencer in the process of winning the conference’s Freshman of the Year award. Watching Castle’s game, it was clear from the beginning he was one of the most talented freshmen in the country. Watching his demeanor, Castle stayed patient and precise, knew his job, and never visibly complained about his role, which should benefit him tremendously early on at the next level.
Currently, the CBS mock draft has Castle being selected No. 3, while Sports Illustrated projects that Castle will be the No. 4 selection. Bleacher Report has Castle being picked No. 5, and ESPN had him being chosen No. 9 overall last month, while noting that he is one of the fastest-rising players on NBA draft boards. Depending on his combine performance, there is even an off chance he could be the top NBA pick.
Like Clingan, Castle must work to develop his jump shot. Unlike Clingan, Castle proved multiple times this season that he can bury the deep shot when left open. Over the course of the 2023-2024 season, Castle shot just 26.7% from three-point range, but he improved steadily and made enough shots from deep that opposing teams had to respect his ability to cash in from long range.
Tristen Newton
After helping steer the 2022-2023 national champion Huskies, the 6-foot-5 guard was the unquestioned leader of the 2023-2024 team and has the accolades to speak for it. After being named to the All-Big East First-Team, Newton was selected as the Bob Cousy Award recipient, recognizing him as the top point guard in Division I basketball.
On the season, Newton scored 15.1 points per game, while grabbing 6.6 rebounds and dishing out 6.2 assists per contest. When it came to winning time, Newton delivered repeatedly. After playing 39 minutes and scoring 20 points in the national championship game against Purdue, Newton was named the 2024 Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player.
24 hours later, when the team returned to Storrs, Newton’s name and number were enshrined in the Huskies of Honor. He joined legendary national champion guards Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier as the only UConn players to be inducted while still students on campus.
It is unlikely Newton will be a primary piece on an NBA team, at least in the coming years, but his considerable size, passable athleticism, and trophy case of achievements make him a strong candidate to be drafted in the second round. Newton projects as a future NBA bench player and could be a back up point guard or a spark scorer; his ability to impact the game without scoring as well should ensure that he at least gets an opportunity to play at the highest level.
Most draft boards have Newton projected as a mid to late second-round pick.
Cam Spencer
After a breakout season with the Huskies, Spencer was entered into the draft discussion. In his one season at UConn, Spencer scored 14.3 points per game, grabbed 4.9 rebounds per contest and dished out 3.6 assists on average.
Spencer’s impressive shooting ability captivated the state of Connecticut, as the 6-foot-4 guard shot 44% from three-point range and 91.1% from the free throw line on the season. In the NCAA Tournament, Spencer was a steady force, averaging 13.3 points and seven rebounds per game.
Much like his older brother Pat Spencer, an all-time college lacrosse phenom who shifted his focus to basketball and made his way onto the Golden State Warriors roster, Cam Spencer will have to fight for an opportunity to play in the NBA. Anyone who follows his game and is familiar with his intensity, however, knows that Spencer is a perfect candidate to succeed with a two-way NBA contract.
Spencer’s good decision making, prolific shooting, defensive playmaking, and ability to score within the flow of an offense make him attractive to NBA teams. Despite his age, 24, many experts are projecting Spencer to be chosen at the end of the second round next month. He could play a role similar to Sam Houser of the Boston Celtics or Pat Connaughton of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Alex Karaban
Alex Karaban, a 6-foot-8 forward, is a wildcard on this list. He averaged 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game during his sophomore season while shooting 49.5% from the field. He started and played critical minutes on both the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 NCAA national championship teams. Following the 2024 season, the two-time champion declared for the NBA Draft but maintained his college eligibility by not signing an agent. This week, he joins the rest of the list in participating in the NBA Draft Combine.
If Karaban decides to commit to the NBA Draft, he will almost certainly be selected, but the question is where. Hurley has hinted in interviews that he expects Karaban will return to Storrs if he isn’t projected as a first-round pick. Unfortunately for UConn fans, this year’s NBA Draft is one of the weakest in years, and there is a strong chance that, with a good showing at the combine, Karaban could sneak into the bottom of the first round.
If Karaban returns to Storrs, UConn will likely run its offense through him next season, and he has potential to be an NCAA All-American, which would likely elevate his draft stock to the mid to high-first round.
During the NCAA Tournament, Karaban’s scoring average dipped by nearly four points to 9.7 points per game, but he left enough on tape offensively during the regular season that he is considered a sure-fire NBA prospect. There is ample room for his defense to grow, and that could be a reason he elects to return to UConn for his junior season. If Karaban chooses to pursue the NBA Draft, at this point, he will likely be a second-round pick. The question is if that is good enough for him. Millions of dollars are at stake.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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