Barely an hour after the NBA draft lottery outcomes had been revealed to the world reside from Chicago, and just some blocks away from the place the annual ceremony came about, Donovan Clingan and Stephon Citadel each arrive on set for our cowl shoot on the most picturesque indoor fitness center in all of America. Situated at 167 Inexperienced within the Fulton Market District, the seventeenth ground hardwood court docket, known as City Corridor, options beautiful panoramic skyline views of Chi City from nearly each aspect you flip due to 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 listing of groups which can 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 featuring Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle is available 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 Ultimate 4 All-Match Staff and a ’24 NCAA East Area Most Excellent Participant nod.
In the meantime, Citadel, a 6-6 freshman wing who averaged 11.1 factors, 4.7 rebounds and a pair of.9 assists whereas changing into a prime perimeter defender for the Huskies, made his personal imprint within the historical past books. He set a brand new Massive 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 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 reduce down the nets and made historical past, going back-to-back as nationwide champs. Now that you simply’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 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 accomplished one thing that particular. We did it in such a historic program that has a variety 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 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 all the time 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 completed what I’ve completed, and I’ll be ceaselessly grateful for my two years at UConn.
Stephon Citadel: 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 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 good 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 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 risk once more, simply because I noticed how onerous it was the 12 months earlier than, and we had been going to have an enormous goal on our again, however after we bought 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 may simply inform the power and the desire of everybody on the crew, everybody on the workers, everybody within the constructing, actually, simply wished to go on the market and win each recreation, each night time.
SC: Early within the season, I didn’t understand how good we had 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, in all probability like the place the Massive 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 function within the rotation on the 2023 nationwide championship crew. What did you be taught from that group that you simply had been then in a position to apply to this previous season, whenever you grew to become 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 crew was gonna want him that 12 months to make an enormous leap [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 leap. 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 make it possible for this crew wins.
SLAM: Steph, you bought thrown proper into the fireplace regardless of being a freshman—you had been a starter from the very first recreation, and solely got here off the bench just a few occasions because 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, they’d a variety of confidence in me this 12 months they usually instilled a variety 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 faculty with out even testing the NBA waters in 2023. A reporter afterward mentioned that NBA scouts believed you may have been chosen anyplace between 25 and 40 within the draft that 12 months. Why did you assume it was necessary to return?
DC: I knew I needed to mature as an individual, as a participant. I needed to develop 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 crew to a different nationwide title and I simply wished to go play for UConn. I really like Coach [Dan] Hurley, I really like that workers, I really like the varsity, 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 quite a bit 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 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 believe I used to be on the second crew on the time, too. So, that undoubtedly gave me a variety of confidence going into it, particularly getting back from an harm.
SLAM: Are there components of your recreation that you simply didn’t get an opportunity to showcase in faculty as a result of the crew didn’t want you to, that you simply’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 slightly 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 awesome recreation plan for this crew. He all the time 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 must do. [But] that’s one thing I’m gonna must 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 pictures, like off the dribble and stuff like that. I really feel like Coach had an awesome scheme for us and he requested particularly what he wanted for us to win a championship. And I assumed we bought it accomplished. But when there was something, I’ll say capturing off the dribble, playmaking slightly extra on the ball and, you realize, stuff like that.
SLAM: Steph, you set the Massive 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 quite a bit, simply to place my identify subsequent to these high-level sort of men. You recognize, I really feel like that meant quite a bit for my profession and what my legacy was at UConn for that brief time. However a variety of that credit score goes to my teammates and my coaches. I really feel like they put me in an awesome 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 variety of credit score goes to them.
SLAM: You additionally grew to become 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 usually only a purpose for me, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly at the back of your head as you’re taking part in. It’s one thing that you simply type of shoot for. So, like DC mentioned, it’s a fairly historic faculty. There’s been a variety of nice names to return out of there, so simply to have my identify beside these guys and instilled in that historical past ceaselessly, it’s tremendous particular to me.
SLAM: Donovan, do you might have an off-the-court story of Stephon that you simply’d say completely displays his persona when the cameras aren’t rolling?
DC: I imply, Steph likes to nap. He likes to sleep. After we had been on the way in which again from Europe, I bear in mind earlier than we neglected of Barcelona—like, I don’t assume 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 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 airplane—he’s napping.
SLAM: What about you, Steph—any good Donovan tales?
SC: So, it’s sooner or later in follow—I believe [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 one in every 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 purported to do on the ground, I take it out on myself. And I put a variety of strain on myself. I do exactly get annoyed at occasions—
SC: [interrupting Donovan] You ever seen any person punch the backboard with out leaping?
DC: I simply wish to win [laughs].
SLAM: When individuals speak in regards to the 2023-2024 UConn Males’s crew 10, 20 years from now, what do you hope they are saying when it comes to your legacy?
SC: I believe we could be up there as among the finest faculty basketball groups ever, as a result of if you consider it, our solely video games we misplaced had been away video games, and one in every of 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] bought damage.
DC: Simply to be remembered as one in every of, if not one of the best faculty basketball crew ever. There was a bunch of men who gave it their all each single day for 11 months of the 12 months. It’s a particular group. We had been a brotherhood. Everybody cherished one another, and that’s going to be a particular crew. There’s nobody that’s going to be neglected ceaselessly. 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 by way of Getty Photographs.
