Pre-NBA Draft Notes: UConn’s Clingan, Castle shut down ‘weak draft’ narrative; Spencer could go Round 2

NEW YORK – It is true, there is no Victor Wembanyama or Zion Williamson, no once-in-a-generation type of athlete who will be the surefire No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.But UConn’s Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle, and all of the other likely lottery and first round picks who met with media on the eve of the big day, hope to shut down the narrative that their draft class is a weak one.“I mean, I’ve heard it,” Castle said, not convinced. “I don’t really pay too much attention to it. But I don’t think our draft is weak. We really don’t know how good a draft is until you see how their future pans out.”That is also true.There was no consensus No. 1 pick in the 2020 Draft, but Anthony Edwards – who drew several comparisons to Michael Jordan during this year’s playoff run – has turned out pretty well for the Minnesota Timberwolves. LaMelo Ball, who went third overall, made a splash, and a number of other players in that class (Tyrese Haliburton, Tyrese Maxey, Jaden McDaniels, Desmond Bane) have made their mark in the league as either breakout stars, top starters or key role players.Peaking with confidence, Stephon Castle is eager to hear his name called early in NBA Draft ‘Weak’ was also a word used to describe the 2013 class, but Giannis Antetokounmpo, CJ McCollum, Steven Adams, Rudy Gobert and others would like a word.“I think it’s a great class,” said Clingan, one of the headliners of the class in the mix to go No. 1. “It’s all players that are going to the NBA, high-level players that are going to have great careers. There’s two national champions who have a chance to be a lottery pick, I mean…”Two champs who could go in the lottery, another two who could hear their name in the second round. It is certainly not a weak class from UConn’s perspective. Regardless of where they’re picked, Clingan and Castle’s value will be determined by what they accomplish over the course of their careers – that will also determine, coach Dan Hurley has pointed out, how the 2023 and 2024 UConn teams are viewed among the best all-time.It’s all motivation.“Just to kind of limit that narrative as much as we can,” Castle said, “I think that’s something that all of the players are striving for.”Dom Amore: Donovan Clingan ready to leave CT, tackle the world of pro basketballSpencer, Newton trending toward second roundThe NBA is trying something different, splitting up the draft over two days – first round Wednesday (8 p.m. ET, ABC, from Barclays Center), second round Thursday (4 p.m. ET, ESPN, from ESPN Seaport Studio) – because of feedback from teams that “these second-round picks have become increasingly important,” league commissioner Adam Silver told reporters during all-star weekend.With the change, teams will have four minutes, rather than two, between picks in the second round. There are still five minutes between first round selections.UConn’s Cam Spencer is one of those players trending toward hearing his name on the second day. Tristen Newton could hear his as well.In mock drafts, ESPN has Spencer going No. 48 to the San Antonio Spurs – interesting, given the Spurs’ reported interest in both Clingan and Castle, as they have both the No. 4 and 8 picks in the lottery. Spencer is projected at No. 53 to the Detroit Pistons by The Ringer. The Athletic has him at No. 43 to the Miami Heat and Yahoo! Sports picked him to go to Golden State with the 52nd pick.Yahoo! Sports also has Newton being selected the pick before, No. 51, by the Washington Wizards, The Ringer has him at No. 49 to the Indiana Pacers and The Athletic says No. 45 to the Sacramento Kings. ESPN has UConn’s All-American point guard falling off the board completely.Big East could have three in lotteryThe Big East might’ve only gotten three teams in the NCAA Tournament this past year, but it could have just as many players selected in the NBA Draft lottery.UConn’s Clingan and Castle, as well as Providence guard Devin Carter, who was voted Big East Player of the Year by league coaches, have all been invited to sit in the green room as potential lottery picks. In the NBA’s consensus mock draft, Carter could go 11th overall to the Chicago Bulls. He has also received interest from the Spurs.“I think it says the Big East is probably the best conference in America right now,” Carter said. “I think the Big East is competitive every night from top to bottom, any given night anybody could beat you, home court advantage is big-time in the Big East as well. But yeah, the Big East is a different animal. I hope they all get drafted as high as they could possibly go as well too, so it just shows the rest of the country how good the Big East is.”Thoughts on Hurley’s flirtation with the LakersCastle and Clingan got their chance to chime in on the courting of coach Dan Hurley by the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this month. Neither of them thought he would go.“Just being there with him for the year, he’s super authentic, super loyal to Connecticut and he has a chance to go three-peat, and that’s hard to walk away from,” Castle said. “I don’t know, he might have to change a couple things to coach in the NBA and that’s just not him.”Added Clingan: “I love (his decision to stay). I know he loves UConn, I knew that he was going to stay just because of the relationship he has with the UConn community and how badly he wants to go win three in a row. I’m happy, can’t wait to see what he does this year.”A Georgia connectionStephon Castle and Isaiah Collier, the No. 1 recruit in the 2023 high school class and a potential first round pick out of USC, where he shared the backcourt with Bronny James, have known each other since the second grade. They played with and against each other for years, all the way up to an anticipated matchup in their senior year – Collier’s Wheeler team beat Castle’s Newton team, 79-60.“I’m proud of him, love him. He’s like my brother, basically,” Collier said. “I told him like two weeks ago, I was like, ‘It’s crazy, everything about to happen in two weeks. We’ve been working out, sweat, hard work, it’s paying off.’”“Just to go through the process with him is definitely a blessing,” Castle said. “It’s been a bumpy road for us to both get here but I’m happy that we were able to align and we’ve been in the gym together every day, so it’s like a full circle moment for us… Maybe it’s something in the water down there in Georgia that’s producing dogs.”

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