A former UConn Huskies star center blew up before an epic performance for the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.

Portland defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 106-98, marking an impressive second straight win for the Trail Blazers over the Wolves in consecutive nights.

No one was more impressive in the win for the Trail Blazers than rookie center Donovan Clingan, who Portland selected with the No. 7 pick in the 2024 NBA draft in June.

Clingan had the best game of his young career with 17 points, 12 rebounds and a ridiculous eight blocks against Minnesota.

Clingan is quickly becoming one of the best rookies in the NBA. After an earlier career-high 13-point performance on Sunday, the two-time national champion UConn Big Man outdid himself on Wednesday and captured the attention of the entire NBA with an all-around dominant performance.

Clingan’s eight rejections stood out the most. At just 20 years old, he already looks like a legitimate rim protector in the NBA.

Clingan is averaging just 15.8 minutes per game through his first thirteen NBA games while backing up Deandre Ayton. As Clingan’s minutes increase, his stats (and impact) could reach Rookie of the Year levels.

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