Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle Talk UConn Championships and the NBA

About an hour after the results of the NBA draft lottery were revealed to the world live in Chicago, and just a few blocks from where the annual event was held, Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle both arrived to take our cover photos in a beautiful indoor location. gym across America. Located at 167 Green in the Fulton Market district, the 17th floor hardwood court, called City Hall, has stunning views of the Chi Town skyline from almost every direction you turn thanks to its floor-to-ceiling glass walls.

The idea provides an effect of calm after the chaos of the previous hour, when both players received a short list of possible teams to draft in June. It's been a journey for these two—one that will stamp them in college hoops history forever.

SLAM 250 featuring Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle is available now.

Clingan, a 7-2 center, won back-to-back national titles in his only two seasons at UConn. He averaged 13 points, 7.4 boards and 2.5 blocks per game this past season, earning him a spot on the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Midseason Watch List, the 2024 NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team and '24 NCAA East Region Most Outstanding Player. nod.

Meanwhile, Castle, a 6-6 freshman wing who averaged 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists while becoming the Huskies' leading defender, is making his own mark in the history books. He set a new Big East record with 11 Freshman Conference Player of the Week awards, surpassing Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson. He also became the first Huskie since Rudy Gay in 2005 to win Big East Freshman Player of the Year.

We sat down with both of the top 10 prospects after our shoot to discuss their historic game, their chemistry and their outlook on the NBA, among many other topics.

SLAM: It's been a few weeks since you cut down the nets and made history, you are back as national players. Now that you've had time to process it all, how did you put that accomplishment into words?

Donovan Clingan: To win back-to-back, you know, for me personally, it was really special because there's not a lot of people who can walk away and say they've done something special. We did it in a historic program with a lot of history, and it's a place where it's hard to make history. But to go out there and do some of the most historic things that have happened on the show was really special. I think UConn is a special place that will always be home to me. I know Steph would say the same. I am simply the best, most blessed to be able to accomplish what I have accomplished, and I will always be grateful for my two years at UConn.

Stephon Castle: I mean, honestly, it still doesn't feel real to me. I've only won once, I can only imagine what it's like in DC. The whole experience was very, very pleasant.

It was truly a blessing to be out there with the great team we had. We had a really special group. Love [DC] he said, it's really a second home for me.

SLAM: At what specific moment in the season do you remember feeling you had a good chance to turn it around?

DC: I feel like when we went on our trip to Europe [UConn played in Monte Carlo and Spain last summer—Ed.], we saw the potential we had. To be honest, I feel like I don't know if the national title was possible again, because I saw how difficult it was last year, and we would have a big target on our back, but when we got back from Europe, we had two weeks off and we came back to start training for the regular season. And you could just tell the energy and the will of everybody on the team, everybody at work, everybody in the building, really, just wanted to go out there and win every game, every night.

SC: At the beginning of the season, I didn't know how good we were. I mean, we've always talked about going back and chasing a national championship, but I feel like every school talks about going to the national championship. I feel like it was the middle of the season, maybe like when the Big East [season] really, when I knew, like, we had a chance to win everything again.

SLAM: Donovan, your freshman season, averaged only 13 minutes per game but played a major role in the 2023 national team rotation. What did you learn from that team that you were able to use this past season, when you became a big focus?

DC: Just being aware of all that I have to give each day. I played [in practice] against the greatest officer in the land in Adama [Sanogo]who practiced and worked out every day knowing he would get better and knowing the team would need him that year to make big juice. [and] lead us where we wanted to go. I feel like that was something for me, coming into the season—I have to jump a lot. I have to be a leader. I have to control the floor offensively and defensively. I have to give my all, every day, to make sure this team wins.

SLAM: Steph, you've been thrown into the fire even though you're a freshman—you started the first game, and you came off the bench a few times because of an injury early in the season. What was your first challenge like?

SC: I mean, it was hard at first. Definitely something you have to really adjust to and really embrace. But I feel like my teammates, they trusted me a lot this year and put a lot of confidence in me. So, just going out, trusting the work that I've put in and just knowing that the coaches believe in what I'm doing.

SLAM: Donovan, decided to return to college without even testing the NBA waters in 2023. A reporter later said NBA scouts believed he could have been selected anywhere between 25 and 40 in that year's draft. Why did you think it was important to return?

DC: I knew I had to mature as a person, as a player. I had to step up my game in many ways. I only played 13 minutes last year. I wanted to go out and be a starter, try to lead the team to another national title and I wanted to play for UConn. I love Coach [Dan] Hurley, I love that staff, I love the school, and I just wanted to try to be a part of something special and to be able to say that I did that means a lot to me.

SLAM: Steph, do you remember the moment when you realized that even though you were a new player starting to dominate the national championships, you had what it took to hold your own at the highest level?

SC: I don't really remember the ritual but I know I was frying, that's all I remember. I think I was also in the second group at that time. So, that gave me a lot of confidence going into it, especially coming back from injury.

SLAM: Are there any parts of your game that you didn't get a chance to showcase in college because the team didn't need you, that you're excited to show at the next level?

DC: Yeah, to be able to get out, shoot the three ball a little bit, play off the dribble, just work that midrange game and set up pick-and-pops and roll to the rim, lobs. You know, Coach Hurley had a great game plan for this team. He always put us in the best position and my team didn't need me to shoot three times to win games. I didn't have to do that. [But] that's what I need to do to take my game to the next level and succeed at the highest level.

SC: I mean, maybe being on the ball a lot, I take a lot of shots, like off the dribble and stuff like that. I feel that the coach had a very good scheme and asked us what he needs to win the title. And I thought we did it. But if there was something, I would say shooting off the dribble, playing a little bit more on the ball and, you know, things like that.

SLAM: Steph, you set the Big East record for most Conference Freshman of the Week awards, and in doing so, surpassed Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson. What did that milestone mean to you?

SC: It meant a lot, just to put my name next to those top guys. You know, I feel like that meant a lot to my career and what my legacy was at UConn in that short period of time. But a lot of that goes to my teammates and coaches. I feel like they put me in a good position to be successful in those games. I had to get out there and just be myself. I feel that a lot of credit goes to them.

SLAM: He also became the first UConn men's player since Rudy Gay in 2005 to win Big East Freshman of the Year.

SC: I wouldn't say it was just a goal for me, but it's in the back of your head when you're playing. It's something you love to shoot. So, as DC said, it's a school with a good history. There have been a lot of great names to come out of there, so to have my name next to those people and be etched in that history forever, is very special to me.

SLAM: Donovan, do you have a story about Stephon not in court that you would say shows his personality well when the cameras are not rolling?

DC: I mean, Steph likes to sleep. He likes to sleep. On the way back from Europe, I remember before we left Barcelona—like, I don't think everyone was on the plane—he was just sleeping, and he didn't wake up until the lights went out. when we got to Boston. It was like an 8 hour trip, and he didn't wake up once. Not even to use the bathroom. Nothing. And I was just like, It's Steph! Like, if he's asleep, he's asleep. But when he wakes up, he just connects. But he just likes to sleep. Every time I see her she is sleeping. On the bus, on the plane—sleeping.

SLAM: How about you, Steph—any good news from Donovan?

SC: So, it's one day in the works—I guess [Donovan], he didn't have the best habit. He was angry with himself. I want to say he kicked something or hit the backboard or something crazy like that, but he hurt himself. And we have a game coming up. I mean, we always called him “Cling Kong,” so I feel like that was one of his moments. He tore his shirt during practice, hit the backboard, and started screaming. He was going crazy.

DC: I want to win [shrugs with a smile].

SC: Practice, though [laughs].

DC: Okay, I'm not losing.

SC: I don't remember the whole story. I know you can tell a story.

DC: I mean, I get upset sometimes with the way I play, and if I don't do what I'm supposed to do on the floor, I take it out. And I put a lot of pressure on myself. I just get frustrated sometimes—

SC: [interrupting Donovan] Have you ever seen someone hit a backboard without jumping?

DC: I just want to win [laughs].

SLAM: When people are talking about the 2023-2024 UConn team 10, 20 years from now, what do you hope they will say about your legacy?

SC: I think we might be up there as one of the best college basketball teams, because if you think about it, the only games we lost were road games, and one of them, we didn't even have our full team. [Actually]two of them—I got injured one game later [DC] he was injured.

DC: Just to be remembered as one of, if not the best college basketball team ever. There were a lot of guys who gave it their all every day for 11 months of the year. A special group. We were a brotherhood. Everyone loved the other, and that would be a special team. No one will be left out forever. We'll all stay in touch, we'll all be brothers for life, and that's just the most important thing to me.

Photos by Joe Pinchin. Action photos via Getty Images.