2022 C Donovan Clingan Talks Notre Dame Offer & More

Donovan Clingan has long been a big factor on the court and now the 7-footer will be a big factor in the 2022 recruiting plans of several major college basketball programs.

The Connecticut big man added six offers in the first two days of the open contact period – from Notre Dame, Michigan State, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Rutgers and Yale. The Bristol Central High School standout already had offers from UMass, UConn, Georgetown, Syracuse, Providence, Iowa and Boston College.

“It’s crazy,” Clingan says. “It’s been a lifetime dream. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve been watching college basketball and wishing I could play at those schools. It’s all happening and it’s just crazy.”

Notre Dame scouted Clingan during this past season and Irish head coach Mike Brey called Clingan to deliver the news of the offer personally.

“He was actually really interested in me,” Clingan says of Brey. “They wanted to contact me directly and when they were allowed to call me, he called me. We talked about how I’d fit the program and he offered me a scholarship.

“It was crazy. Notre Dame has always been a great school academics-wise, athletics-wise. It’s a big school.”

His initial impressions of Brey were positive.

“He’s a great guy,” says Clingan. “I talked to him once or twice and when I’ve talked to him, he was great to talk to, nice guy, cares.”

Clingan plays his AAU ball for Team Spartans out of the Boston area.

He plans to hit the road whenever he can.

“Once this Corona stuff is over, my goal is to visit, not just Notre Dame, but all of the schools,” he says. “Staying in contact with the coach is important and then we’ll just go from there.”

He’ll be looking at fit, teammates and other “little things” when trying to pick a school.

“Is it going to be best for me in the future?”