How hectic has the offseason been for Brad Brownell and Clemson basketball? With so much roster turnover, it’s no surprise that fans are still trying to process the changes.
While we knew that Chase Hunter, Ian Schieffelin, Jaeden Zackery, and Viktor Lakhin were set to graduate, no one expected the flood of transfers that followed. Since Clemson’s NCAA Tournament exit last week, four players have entered the transfer portal, leaving the Tigers’ roster looking surprisingly thin.
Del Jones, Asa Thomas, Chauncey Wiggins, and Jake Heidbreder are now officially in the portal, leaving just two players who didn’t redshirt this season returning for next year.
Dillon Hunter, Christian Reeves, Ace Buckner, and Dallas Thomas are the only returners from this year’s team, with three incoming freshmen: Zac Foster, Chase Thompson, and Trent Steinour. Notably, Buckner and Thomas both redshirted, meaning Clemson returns a mere 6.6 points from last season’s squad, which averaged 76.3 points.
With Heidbreder’s transfer, Clemson is left with just four players from the previous roster:
- G Dillon Hunter
- C Christian Reeves
- G Ace Buckner (redshirt)
- F Dallas Thomas (redshirt)
Along with the three new freshmen, this leaves six roster spots still open.
It’s been a shocking amount of roster turnover for the Tigers, making this offseason crucial for Brownell and his staff. With just four players who combined for 6.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 27.6 minutes per game, Clemson faces a significant rebuilding challenge. That’s likely why the Tigers are actively pursuing so many players in the transfer portal.
If Brownell can land 4-5 experienced portal players, Clemson could avoid a full rebuild, but as things stand, it looks like 2025-26 could be a challenging year for the Tigers.
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