Barely an hour after the NBA draft lottery outcomes have been revealed to the world dwell from Chicago, and only a few blocks away from the place the annual ceremony came about, Donovan Clingan and Stephon Fortress each arrive on set for our cowl shoot on the most picturesque indoor health club in all of America. Positioned at 167 Inexperienced within the Fulton Market District, the seventeenth ground hardwood courtroom, known as City Corridor, options beautiful panoramic skyline views of Chi City from nearly each facet you flip due to its floor-to-ceiling glass partitions.
The view offers a calmness impact after the ruckus from the earlier hour, when each gamers came upon the brief checklist of groups which might be most probably to finish up drafting them in June. It’s been fairly the journey for this duo—one that may have them stamped in faculty hoops historical past for eternity.
SLAM 250 that includes Donovan Clingan and Stephon Fortress is accessible now.
Clingan, a 7-2 heart, received back-to-back nationwide titles in his solely two seasons at UConn. He averaged 13 factors, 7.4 boards and a couple of.5 blocks per recreation this previous season, incomes him a spot on the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Midseason Watch Listing, the 2024 NCAA Closing 4 All-Match Workforce and a ’24 NCAA East Area Most Excellent Participant nod.
In the meantime, Fortress, a 6-6 freshman wing who averaged 11.1 factors, 4.7 rebounds and a couple of.9 assists whereas changing into a high perimeter defender for the Huskies, made his personal imprint within the historical past books. He set a brand new Massive East report with 11 Freshman Convention Participant of the Week honors, surpassing Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson. He was additionally the primary Huskie since Rudy Homosexual in 2005 to win Massive East Freshman Participant of the Yr.
We sat down with each projected top-10 picks after our shoot to debate their historic run, their chemistry and their NBA outlook, amongst many different subjects.
SLAM: It’s been just a few weeks because you guys lower down the nets and made historical past, going back-to-back as nationwide champs. Now that you just’ve had a while to course of all of it, how do you set into phrases the accomplishment?
Donovan Clingan: To win back-to-back, you already know, for me personally, was one thing actually particular simply because there’s not too many individuals that might go round saying that they’ve performed one thing that particular. We did it in such a historic program that has lots of historical past, and it’s a spot the place it’s exhausting to make historical past. However to go on the market and do among the most historic issues which have occurred in this system was one thing actually particular. I believe UConn is a particular place that may at all times be dwelling to me. I do know Steph will say the identical factor. I’m simply tremendous, tremendous blessed to have the ability to have achieved what I’ve achieved, and I’ll be eternally grateful for my two years at UConn.
Stephon Fortress: I imply, actually, it actually nonetheless doesn’t even really feel actual to me. I solely received as soon as, I can solely think about what it looks like for DC. Simply the entire expertise was tremendous, tremendous enjoyable.
It actually was a blessing simply to be on the market with the good group that we had. We had an actual particular group. Like [DC] mentioned, it’s positively a second dwelling for me.
SLAM: At what particular level within the season do you bear in mind feeling like y’all had a very good probability to run all of it again?
DC: I really feel like after we went on our journey to Europe [UConn played in Monte Carlo and Spain last summer—Ed.], we noticed the potential we had. To be trustworthy, I really feel like I didn’t know if a nationwide title was a chance once more, simply because I spotted how exhausting it was the 12 months earlier than, and we have been going to have an enormous goal on our again, however after we received again from Europe, we had like two weeks off and we got here again in for the beginning of observe within the common season. And you can simply inform the power and the need of everybody on the crew, everybody on the employees, everybody within the constructing, actually, simply needed to go on the market and win each recreation, each night time.
SC: Early within the season, I didn’t know the way good we have been. I imply, we at all times talked about going back-to-back and chasing a nationwide championship, however I really feel like each college talks about going for a nationwide championship. I really feel prefer it was concerning the midpoint of the season, in all probability like the place the Massive East [season] actually kicked off, after I kinda knew, like, we actually had an opportunity at successful the entire thing over once more.
SLAM: Donovan, your freshman season, you solely averaged 13 minutes per recreation however performed a significant function within the rotation on the 2023 nationwide championship crew. What did you be taught from that group that you just have been then capable of apply to this previous season, whenever you turned a significant focus?
DC: Simply realizing all the pieces I needed to give each single day. I performed [in practice] towards probably the most dominant large within the nation in Adama [Sanogo], who went into observe and into exercises each single day realizing that he’s gonna get higher and realizing that the crew was gonna want him that 12 months to make an enormous bounce [and] lead us to the place we needed to go. I really feel like that was one thing for me, coming into the season—I’ve to make an enormous bounce. I’ve to be a pacesetter. I’ve to dominate the ground on the offensive and defensive finish. I simply gotta give my all, day in and time out, simply to guarantee that this crew wins.
SLAM: Steph, you bought thrown proper into the fireplace regardless of being a freshman—you have been a starter from the very first recreation, and solely got here off the bench just a few instances attributable to an early season damage. What was the early problem like for you?
SC: I imply, it was positively exhausting at first. Undoubtedly one thing that it’s important to actually regulate to and actually simply embrace. However I really feel like my teammates, that they had lots of confidence in me this 12 months and so they instilled lots of confidence in myself. So, simply going on the market, simply trusting my work that I put in and simply realizing that the coaches consider in what I do.
SLAM: Donovan, you determined to return to faculty with out even testing the NBA waters in 2023. A reporter afterward mentioned that NBA scouts believed you can have been chosen anyplace between 25 and 40 within the draft that 12 months. Why did you suppose it was vital to return?
DC: I knew I needed to mature as an individual, as a participant. I needed to broaden my recreation in some ways. I solely performed 13 minutes a recreation final 12 months. I needed to go on the market and be a starter, attempt to lead the crew to a different nationwide title and I simply needed to go play for UConn. I really like Coach [Dan] Hurley, I really like that employees, I really like the varsity, and I simply needed to attempt to be a part of one thing actually particular and to have the ability to say that I did meaning lots to me.
SLAM: Steph, do you bear in mind the second whenever you realized that regardless of being a freshman who’s beginning for the reigning nationwide champs, you had what it took to carry your individual at an elite degree?
SC: I don’t bear in mind the precise observe however I do know I used to be frying although, that’s the one factor I do bear in mind. I believe I used to be on the second crew on the time, too. So, that positively gave me lots of confidence going into it, particularly getting back from an damage.
SLAM: Are there elements of your recreation that you just didn’t get an opportunity to showcase in faculty as a result of the crew didn’t want you to, that you just’re now excited to have the ability to present on the subsequent degree?
DC: Yeah, to have the ability to step out, shoot the three ball a little bit extra, play off the dribble, actually simply working that midrange recreation and setting the pick-and-pops and simply roll to the rim, lobs. You already know, Coach Hurley had an excellent recreation plan for this crew. He at all times put us in one of the best place potential and my crew didn’t want me to shoot threes to win video games. That’s one thing I didn’t need to do. [But] that’s one thing I’m gonna need to do to take my recreation to the following degree and succeed on the highest degree.
SC: I imply, in all probability simply being on the ball extra, taking extra photographs, like off the dribble and stuff like that. I really feel like Coach had an excellent scheme for us and he requested particularly what he wanted for us to win a championship. And I believed we received it performed. But when there was something, I’ll say capturing off the dribble, playmaking a little bit extra on the ball and, you already know, stuff like that.
SLAM: Steph, you set the Massive East report for many Convention Freshman of the Week honors, and in doing so, you surpassed Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson. What did that historic feat imply to you?
SC: It meant lots, simply to place my title subsequent to these high-level sort of fellows. You already know, I really feel like that meant lots for my profession and what my legacy was at UConn for that brief time. However lots of that credit score goes to my teammates and my coaches. I really feel like they put me in an excellent place to achieve success in these video games. I simply needed to go on the market and simply be myself. I really feel like lots of credit score goes to them.
SLAM: You additionally turned the primary UConn males’s participant since Rudy Homosexual in 2005 to win Massive East Freshman of the Yr.
SC: I wouldn’t say it was often only a aim for me, but it surely’s positively behind your head as you’re taking part in. It’s one thing that you just form of shoot for. So, like DC mentioned, it’s a fairly historic college. There’s been lots of nice names to return out of there, so simply to have my title beside these guys and instilled in that historical past eternally, it’s tremendous particular to me.
SLAM: Donovan, do you could have an off-the-court story of Stephon that you just’d say completely displays his character when the cameras aren’t rolling?
DC: I imply, Steph likes to nap. He likes to sleep. After we have been on the way in which again from Europe, I bear in mind earlier than we unnoticed of Barcelona—like, I don’t suppose everybody was even on the aircraft but—he was already asleep, and he didn’t get up till the lights turned on after we landed in Boston. It was like an eight-hour flight, and he didn’t get up as soon as. Not even to make use of the toilet. Nothing. And I used to be similar to, That’s Steph! Like, when he’s sleeping, he’s sleeping. However when he’s up, he’s simply hooping. However he simply likes to nap. Each time I see him, he’s napping. On the bus, on the aircraft—he’s napping.
SLAM: What about you, Steph—any good Donovan tales?
SC: So, it’s someday in observe—I believe [Donovan], he wasn’t having one of the best observe. He was form of mad at himself. I wish to say he kicked one thing or he punched the backboard or it was one thing loopy like that, however he damage himself. And we had a recreation developing. I imply, we at all times known as him “Cling Kong,” so I really feel like that was one in all his moments. He ripped his shirt in observe, punched the backboard, he began screaming. He was going loopy.
DC: I wish to win [shrugs with a smile].
SC: It’s observe, although [laughs].
DC: It’s OK, I don’t lose.
SC: I don’t bear in mind the entire story. I do know you’ll be able to inform the story.
DC: I imply, I get upset typically with how I’m taking part in, and if I’m not doing what I’m alleged to do on the ground, I take it out on myself. And I put lots of stress on myself. I do exactly get pissed off at instances—
SC: [interrupting Donovan] You ever seen any individual punch the backboard with out leaping?
DC: I simply wish to win [laughs].
SLAM: When folks speak concerning the 2023-2024 UConn Males’s crew 10, 20 years from now, what do you hope they are saying by way of your legacy?
SC: I believe we is likely to be up there as the most effective faculty basketball groups ever, as a result of if you consider it, our solely video games we misplaced have been away video games, and one in all them, we didn’t even have our full crew. [Actually], two of them—one recreation I used to be damage after which one recreation [DC] received damage.
DC: Simply to be remembered as one in all, if not one of the best faculty basketball crew ever. There was a bunch of fellows who gave it their all each single day for 11 months of the 12 months. It’s a particular group. We have been a brotherhood. Everybody cherished one another, and that’s going to be a particular crew. There’s nobody that’s going to be unnoticed eternally. We’re all going to remain in contact, we’re all gonna be brothers for all times, and that’s simply one thing that’s actually vital to me.
Portraits by Joe Pinchin. Motion images through Getty Pictures.
