With the final buzzer against McNeese, many Clemson stars walked off the court for the last time. Going into next season, jersey numbers Clemson fans have been watching for years — namely No. 1 and No. 4 — will have a different name on the back of the jersey.
The Tigers have a handful of standouts who will never wear the paw again. Among them, Chase Hunter, Ian Schieffelin, Viktor Lakhin and Myles Foster will all graduate.
Chase Hunter and Schieffelin, two players in the 1,000-point club, have been the face of Clemson basketball over the last three seasons and brought the school its first Elite Eight appearance since 1980.
Foster and Lakhin each only played one season in a Clemson jersey but earned themselves a place in history with their contributions to a record 27-win season.
Aside from the seniors, the Tigers are losing six players to the transfer portal: Del Jones, Jake Heidbreder, Jackson Roberts, Chauncey Wiggins, Christian Reeves and Asa Thomas. Jones, Heidbreder and Wiggins all made significant contributions to last year’s team and seemed primed to step into a bigger role next season had they not been transferring.
Christian Reeves seemed slotted to lead Clemson’s frontcourt, but surprisingly, the 7-foot-2 center entered the transfer portal for the second straight year. After transferring from Duke, Reeves played in 29 games for the Tigers last season.
With all of the exits, many wonder who will take over the reins.
Veteran Jaeden Zackery may still be able to suit up for another year, given the recent Pavia ruling, which granted a year of eligibility to anyone who competed at a non-NCAA school for one or more years. The Clemson guard started every game for the Tigers and averaged 11.7 points.
Zackery’s presence would add much-needed veteran leadership to next year’s Tigers if given an extra year, which has yet to be updated.
Dillon Hunter is another returner ready to step into a significant role in the coming season. Dillon has been playing in the shadow of his older brother, but with Chase’s graduation, he will get a chance to shine. Dillon’s value as a player became glaring after the devastating impact of his late-season injury on the team.
Younger players will also gain the chance to make an impact. Forward Dallas Thomas and guard Ace Buckner, a four-star and three-star, respectively, redshirted last season. Now, they look ready to get on the court.
In addition to the returners, Clemson boasts the 26th-best recruiting class in the country, according to 247Sports. The class is comprised of a four-star recruit, Zac Foster, and two three-stars — Chase Thompson and Trent Steinour. Along with the rising freshmen they already recruited, the Tigers will look for talent in the transfer portal, hoping to find their next Viktor Lakhin and Joe Girard III, who have been picked up through the portal.
Although many players are leaving, new players are ready to fill the shoes — and jerseys — of yesterday’s stars in the hopes of bringing Clemson to another NCAA Tournament.
