Barely an hour after the NBA draft lottery outcomes have been revealed to the world dwell from Chicago, and just some blocks away from the place the annual ceremony occurred, Donovan Clingan and Stephon Fort each arrive on set for our cowl shoot on the most picturesque indoor fitness center 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 because of its floor-to-ceiling glass partitions.
The view gives a calmness impact after the ruckus from the earlier hour, when each gamers discovered the brief record 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 Fort is obtainable 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 pair of.5 blocks per recreation this previous season, incomes him a spot on the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Midseason Watch Checklist, the 2024 NCAA Closing 4 All-Match Workforce and a ’24 NCAA East Area Most Excellent Participant nod.
In the meantime, Fort, a 6-6 freshman wing who averaged 11.1 factors, 4.7 rebounds and a pair of.9 assists whereas turning into a high perimeter defender for the Huskies, made his personal imprint within the historical past books. He set a brand new Large East file 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 subjects.
SLAM: It’s been just a few weeks because you guys reduce 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 realize, for me personally, was one thing actually particular simply because there’s not too many individuals that might go round saying that they’ve carried out one thing that particular. We did it in such a historic program that has a number of historical past, and it’s a spot the place it’s onerous to make historical past. However to go on the market and do a number of the most historic issues which have occurred in this system was one thing actually particular. I feel UConn is a particular place that may at all times be residence 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 Fort: I imply, actually, it actually nonetheless doesn’t even really feel actual to me. I solely gained as soon as, I can solely think about what it appears like for DC. Simply the entire expertise was tremendous, tremendous enjoyable.
It actually was a blessing simply to be on the market with the nice group that we had. We had an actual particular group. Like [DC] mentioned, it’s undoubtedly a second residence for me.
SLAM: At what particular level within the season do you bear in mind feeling like y’all had a very good likelihood to run all of it again?
DC: I really feel like once 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 onerous it was the 12 months earlier than, and we have been going to have an enormous goal on our again, however once we acquired 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 can simply inform the power and the desire of everybody on the staff, everybody on the employees, everybody within the constructing, actually, simply wished to go on the market and win each recreation, each evening.
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, most likely like the place the Large East [season] actually kicked off, once 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 serious position within the rotation on the 2023 nationwide championship staff. What did you study from that group that you just have been then capable of apply to this previous season, once you turned a serious focus?
DC: Simply realizing every thing I needed to give each single day. I performed [in practice] in opposition to 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 staff was gonna want him that 12 months to make an enormous soar [and] lead us to the place we wished to go. I really feel like that was one thing for me, coming into the season—I’ve to make an enormous soar. 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 day trip, simply to guarantee that this staff wins.
SLAM: Steph, you bought thrown proper into the hearth 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 as a result of an early season harm. What was the early problem like for you?
SC: I imply, it was undoubtedly onerous at first. Undoubtedly one thing that you must actually modify to and actually simply embrace. However I really feel like my teammates, that they had a number of confidence in me this 12 months and so they instilled a number 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 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 wherever 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 wished to go on the market and be a starter, attempt to lead the staff to a different nationwide title and I simply wished to go play for UConn. I like Coach [Dan] Hurley, I like that employees, I like the college, and I simply wished 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 once you realized that regardless of being a freshman who’s beginning for the reigning nationwide champs, you had what it took to carry your personal at an elite degree?
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 staff on the time, too. So, that undoubtedly gave me a number of confidence going into it, particularly getting back from an harm.
SLAM: Are there elements of your recreation that you just didn’t get an opportunity to showcase in faculty as a result of the staff 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 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 recognize, Coach Hurley had an ideal recreation plan for this staff. He at all times put us in the very best place potential and my staff 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 subsequent degree and succeed on the highest degree.
SC: I imply, most likely simply being on the ball extra, taking extra pictures, like off the dribble and stuff like that. I really feel like Coach had an ideal scheme for us and he requested particularly what he wanted for us to win a championship. And I believed we acquired it carried out. But when there was something, I’ll say taking pictures off the dribble, playmaking a bit extra on the ball and, you realize, stuff like that.
SLAM: Steph, you set the Large East file 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 kind of fellows. You recognize, I really feel like that meant lots for my profession and what my legacy was at UConn for that brief time. However a number of that credit score goes to my teammates and my coaches. I really feel like they put me in an ideal place to achieve success in these video games. I simply needed to go on the market and simply be myself. I really feel like a number 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 repeatedly only a purpose for me, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly behind your head as you’re taking part in. It’s one thing that you just sort of shoot for. So, like DC mentioned, it’s a fairly historic college. There’s been a number 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 omitted 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 once 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 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 sooner or later in follow—I feel [Donovan], he wasn’t having the very best follow. He was sort of mad at himself. I need 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 every of his moments. He ripped his shirt in follow, punched the backboard, he began screaming. He was going loopy.
DC: I need 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 generally with how I’m taking part in, and if I’m not doing what I’m imagined to do on the ground, I take it out on myself. And I put a number of stress on myself. I just do get annoyed at instances—
SC: [interrupting Donovan] You ever seen someone punch the backboard with out leaping?
DC: I simply need to win [laughs].
SLAM: When folks speak concerning the 2023-2024 UConn Males’s staff 10, 20 years from now, what do you hope they are saying when it comes to your legacy?
SC: I feel we could be up there as probably the greatest faculty basketball groups ever, as a result of if you concentrate on it, our solely video games we misplaced have been away video games, and one in every of them, we didn’t even have our full staff. [Actually], two of them—one recreation I used to be damage after which one recreation [DC] acquired damage.
DC: Simply to be remembered as one in every of, if not the very best faculty basketball staff 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 staff. There’s nobody that’s going to be omitted 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 pictures through Getty Photos.
