UConn star big man Donovan Clingan will miss Saturday night's game vs. St. John's and an extended period beyond that after suffering an injury to a tendon in his right foot during Wednesday's Big East opener vs. Seton Hall that is expected to sideline him three-to-four weeks, the team announced on Saturday.
Clingan, a potential All-American who leads the team in shots blocked, box plus/minus and Player Efficiency Rating, would miss seven games if he were sidelined four weeks, with a potential return possible in late January if he suffers no setbacks.
Clingan missed roughly a month earlier in the year after suffering a foot strain just before the start of the season but managed to recover in time for the season-opener on Nov. 6. He played in every game before leaving Wednesday's game in the second half with the injury. Despite returning to the bench after a brief trip to the locker room, he did not return to action in an eventual 75-60 loss for No. 5 UConn.
The defending national champion Huskies have been a force again with a 10-2 record to start the season in large part because of Clingan's leap from rotation piece to starting star, but are uniquely equipped to withstand the short-term blow as he recovers. The team has remade itself with an identity around Tristen Newton and transfer Cam Spencer and has relied heavily on the contributions of Alex Karaban and five-star freshman Stephon Castle.
With Clingan out the next few weeks it could open up an opportunity for former four-star prospect Samson Johnson to assume a starting role in his absence. In 37 games since Johnson's arrival in 2021-22, he has averaged 2.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.4 blocks per game. He has emerged a key rotation piece this season in the midst of a career year, averaging 5.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game while playing a career-high 17.8 minutes per game.
