Fans of UConn men’s basketball should be saddened by the fact that seven-foot wonder and Bristol local Donovan Clingan will not be starting for the Huskies in the middle of the court come next season. They will have to let go of the big man, who is leaving Storrs to join the NBA after winning two titles in two years and leaving a lasting legacy at UConn.
Who is going to take Clingan’s place?
Fans doubt that anyone can, at least not in their hearts and minds. Replacing him on the court might be much more difficult.
On Wednesday, part of Dan Hurley’s plan to gear up for a run at an unprecedented modern-era three-peat became clear as Michigan transfer Tarris Reed Jr. announced his commitment to UConn. At 6-10, 265 pounds, he’s an athletic, bruising big– though not quite as imposing as the 7-2, 285-pound Clingan.
Though Hurley may not be done portal-shopping (his favorite activity), it’s clear he believes Reed, who started 31 games for the 8-24 Wolverines last season, is a player who can help UConn stay on top of the college basketball world. The St. Louis native and four-star recruit out of Link Year Academy averaged 9.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game as a sophomore last year, while shooting 51.9% from the field.
So, who is Tarris Reed exactly, and what strengths does he bring to UConn? We asked Andrew Kahn, Michigan men’s basketball beat writer for MLive.com, about his game and how he might fit into plans for the two-time defending champs.
Leave a Reply