Barely an hour after the NBA draft lottery outcomes have been revealed to the world reside from Chicago, and just some blocks away from the place the annual ceremony befell, Donovan Clingan and Stephon Fortress each arrive on set for our cowl shoot on the most picturesque indoor health club in all of America. Situated 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 because of its floor-to-ceiling glass partitions.
The view offers a calmness impact after the ruckus from the earlier hour, when each gamers discovered the quick record of groups which are almost definitely to finish up drafting them in June. It’s been fairly the journey for this duo—one that can have them stamped in school hoops historical past for eternity.
SLAM 250 that includes Donovan Clingan and Stephon Fortress is on the market now.
Clingan, a 7-2 heart, gained 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 Checklist, the 2024 NCAA Last 4 All-Event Staff 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 turning into a prime perimeter defender for the Huskies, made his personal imprint within the historical past books. He set a brand new Large East document 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 Large 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 matters.
SLAM: It’s been a number of 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 place into phrases the accomplishment?
Donovan Clingan: To win back-to-back, you recognize, for me personally, was one thing actually particular simply because there’s not too many individuals that would go round saying that they’ve carried out one thing that particular. We did it in such a historic program that has loads of historical past, and it’s a spot the place it’s laborious 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 feel UConn is a particular place that can all the time be house to me. I do know Steph will say the identical factor. I’m simply tremendous, tremendous blessed to have the ability to have completed what I’ve completed, and I’ll be eternally grateful for my two years at UConn.
Stephon Fortress: I imply, truthfully, it actually nonetheless doesn’t even really feel actual to me. I solely gained as soon as, I can solely think about what it seems 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 house 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 noticed how laborious it was the yr earlier than, and we have been going to have a giant goal on our again, however after we obtained again from Europe, we had like two weeks off and we got here again in for the beginning of follow within the common season. And you would simply inform the power and the desire of everybody on the workforce, everybody on the workers, 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 all the time talked about going back-to-back and chasing a nationwide championship, however I really feel like each faculty talks about going for a nationwide championship. I really feel prefer it was in regards to the midpoint of the season, most likely like the place the Large 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 workforce. What did you be taught from that group that you just have been then in a position to apply to this previous season, whenever you turned a significant point of interest?
DC: Simply realizing the whole lot I needed to give each single day. I performed [in practice] towards essentially the most dominant huge within the nation in Adama [Sanogo], who went into follow and into exercises each single day figuring out that he’s gonna get higher and figuring out that the workforce was gonna want him that yr to make a giant soar [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 a giant soar. I’ve to be a frontrunner. I’ve to dominate the ground on the offensive and defensive finish. I simply gotta give my all, day in and day trip, simply to guarantee that this workforce 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 a number of occasions because of an early season damage. What was the early problem like for you?
SC: I imply, it was positively laborious at first. Positively one thing that it’s a must to actually alter to and actually simply embrace. However I really feel like my teammates, they’d loads of confidence in me this yr they usually instilled loads of confidence in myself. So, simply going on the market, simply trusting my work that I put in and simply figuring out that the coaches imagine in what I do.
SLAM: Donovan, you determined to return to school with out even testing the NBA waters in 2023. A reporter afterward mentioned that NBA scouts believed you would have been chosen wherever between 25 and 40 within the draft that yr. Why did you suppose it was necessary 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 yr. I needed to go on the market and be a starter, attempt to lead the workforce to a different nationwide title and I simply needed to go play for UConn. I like Coach [Dan] Hurley, I like that workers, I 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 loads 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 stage?
SC: I don’t bear in mind the precise follow however I do know I used to be frying although, that’s the one factor I do bear in mind. I feel I used to be on the second workforce on the time, too. So, that positively gave me loads of confidence going into it, particularly getting back from an damage.
SLAM: Are there components of your recreation that you just didn’t get an opportunity to showcase in school as a result of the workforce didn’t want you to, that you just’re now excited to have the ability to present on the subsequent stage?
DC: Yeah, to have the ability to step out, shoot the three ball somewhat 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 realize, Coach Hurley had a fantastic recreation plan for this workforce. He all the time put us in one of the best place doable and my workforce didn’t want me to shoot threes to win video games. That’s one thing I didn’t must do. [But] that’s one thing I’m gonna must do to take my recreation to the following stage and succeed on the highest stage.
SC: I imply, most likely simply being on the ball extra, taking extra photographs, like off the dribble and stuff like that. I really feel like Coach had a fantastic scheme for us and he requested particularly what he wanted for us to win a championship. And I believed we obtained it carried out. But when there was something, I’ll say taking pictures off the dribble, playmaking somewhat extra on the ball and, you recognize, stuff like that.
SLAM: Steph, you set the Large East document 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 loads, simply to place my title subsequent to these high-level sort of men. You realize, I really feel like that meant loads for my profession and what my legacy was at UConn for that quick time. However loads of that credit score goes to my teammates and my coaches. I really feel like they put me in a fantastic place to achieve success in these video games. I simply needed to go on the market and simply be myself. I really feel like loads of credit score goes to them.
SLAM: You additionally turned the primary UConn males’s participant since Rudy Homosexual in 2005 to win Large East Freshman of the Yr.
SC: I wouldn’t say it was commonly only a objective for me, but it surely’s positively at the back of your head as you’re taking part in. It’s one thing that you just type of shoot for. So, like DC mentioned, it’s a reasonably historic faculty. There’s been loads 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’ve 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. Once we have been on the best way again from Europe, I bear in mind earlier than we disregarded of Barcelona—like, I don’t suppose everybody was even on the airplane 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 lavatory. Nothing. And I used to be identical 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 airplane—he’s napping.
SLAM: What about you, Steph—any good Donovan tales?
SC: So, it’s sooner or later in follow—I feel [Donovan], he wasn’t having one of the best follow. He was type 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 arising. I imply, we all the time known as him “Cling Kong,” so I really feel like that was considered one of his moments. He ripped his shirt in follow, punched the backboard, he began screaming. He was going loopy.
DC: I wish to win [shrugs with a smile].
SC: It’s follow, although [laughs].
DC: It’s OK, I don’t lose.
SC: I don’t bear in mind the entire story. I do know you may 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 speculated to do on the ground, I take it out on myself. And I put loads of strain on myself. I just do get pissed off at occasions—
SC: [interrupting Donovan] You ever seen any individual punch the backboard with out leaping?
DC: I simply wish to win [laughs].
SLAM: When folks discuss in regards to the 2023-2024 UConn Males’s workforce 10, 20 years from now, what do you hope they are saying by way of your legacy?
SC: I feel we is likely to be up there as probably the greatest school basketball groups ever, as a result of if you consider it, our solely video games we misplaced have been away video games, and considered one of them, we didn’t even have our full workforce. [Actually], two of them—one recreation I used to be damage after which one recreation [DC] obtained damage.
DC: Simply to be remembered as considered one of, if not one of the best school basketball workforce ever. There was a bunch of men who gave it their all each single day for 11 months of the yr. It’s a particular group. We have been a brotherhood. Everybody cherished one another, and that’s going to be a particular workforce. There’s nobody that’s going to be disregarded 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 necessary to me.
Portraits by Joe Pinchin. Motion images through Getty Pictures.
