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 befell, Donovan Clingan and Stephon Citadel 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 flooring hardwood court docket, 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 came upon the brief record of groups which are more than likely to finish up drafting them in June. It’s been fairly the journey for this duo—one that can have them stamped in faculty hoops historical past for eternity.
SLAM 250 that includes Donovan Clingan and Stephon Citadel is out there now.
Clingan, a 7-2 middle, 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 sport this previous season, incomes him a spot on the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Midseason Watch Record, the 2024 NCAA Last 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 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 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 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 set into phrases the accomplishment?
Donovan Clingan: To win back-to-back, , 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 quite a lot 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 a number of the most historic issues which have occurred in this system was one thing actually particular. I believe UConn is a particular place that can 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 completed what I’ve completed, and I’ll be eternally grateful for my two years at UConn.
Stephon Citadel: 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 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 risk once more, simply because I spotted how laborious it was the yr earlier than, and we have been going to have a giant goal on our again, however once 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 might simply inform the vitality 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 sport, each night time.
SC: Early within the season, I didn’t understand how 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 in regards to 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 sport however performed a serious position within the rotation on the 2023 nationwide championship workforce. What did you be taught from that group that you just have been then capable of apply to this previous season, if you turned a serious focus?
DC: Simply realizing all the things I needed to give each single day. I performed [in practice] towards essentially the most dominant large within the nation in Adama [Sanogo], who went into follow and into exercises each single day understanding that he’s gonna get higher and understanding that the workforce was gonna want him that yr to make a giant 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 a giant bounce. 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 time out, simply to make it possible for 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 sport, and solely got here off the bench a number of instances resulting from an early season harm. What was the early problem like for you?
SC: I imply, it was positively laborious at first. Positively one thing that you must actually modify to and actually simply embrace. However I really feel like my teammates, that they had quite a lot of confidence in me this yr and so they instilled quite a lot of confidence in myself. So, simply going on the market, simply trusting my work that I put in and simply understanding 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 might have been chosen anyplace between 25 and 40 within the draft that yr. Why did you assume it was vital to return?
DC: I knew I needed to mature as an individual, as a participant. I needed to increase my sport in some ways. I solely performed 13 minutes a sport 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 so much to me.
SLAM: Steph, do you bear in mind the second if 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 workforce on the time, too. So, that positively gave me quite a lot of confidence going into it, particularly getting back from an harm.
SLAM: Are there elements of your sport that you just didn’t get an opportunity to showcase in faculty 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 degree?
DC: Yeah, to have the ability to step out, shoot the three ball a bit of extra, play off the dribble, actually simply working that midrange sport and setting the pick-and-pops and simply roll to the rim, lobs. You understand, Coach Hurley had a terrific sport plan for this workforce. He at all times put us in one of the best place potential and my workforce didn’t want me to shoot threes to win video games. That’s one thing I didn’t should do. [But] that’s one thing I’m gonna should do to take my sport to the following 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 a terrific scheme for us and he requested particularly what he wanted for us to win a championship. And I believed we bought it accomplished. But when there was something, I’ll say capturing off the dribble, playmaking a bit of extra on the ball and, , 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 so much, simply to place my identify subsequent to these high-level sort of fellows. You understand, I really feel like that meant so much for my profession and what my legacy was at UConn for that brief time. However quite a lot of that credit score goes to my teammates and my coaches. I really feel like they put me in a terrific place to achieve success in these video games. I simply needed to go on the market and simply be myself. I really feel like quite a lot 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 usually only a aim for me, however it’s positively behind your head as you’re enjoying. It’s one thing that you just type of shoot for. So, like DC mentioned, it’s a reasonably historic college. There’s been quite a lot of nice names to return out of there, so simply to have my identify beside these guys and instilled in that historical past eternally, it’s tremendous particular to me.
SLAM: Donovan, do you’ve gotten 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 way in which again from Europe, I bear in mind earlier than we omitted of Barcelona—like, I don’t assume 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 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 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 harm himself. And we had a sport arising. I imply, we at all times referred to as him “Cling Kong,” so I really feel like that was one among 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 generally with how I’m enjoying, and if I’m not doing what I’m presupposed to do on the ground, I take it out on myself. And I put quite a lot of strain 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 discuss in regards to the 2023-2024 UConn Males’s workforce 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 the most effective 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 among them, we didn’t even have our full workforce. [Actually], two of them—one sport I used to be harm after which one sport [DC] bought harm.
DC: Simply to be remembered as one among, if not one of the best faculty basketball workforce ever. There was a bunch of fellows 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 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 images through Getty Photographs.
