After a disappointing finish in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Clemson men’s basketball revamped its coaching staff ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
Following the Tigers’ first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Iowa, Clemson experienced sweeping changes across the program, including the departures of six players, four coaches and its general manager. Assistant coach Billy Donlon, who played a pivotal role in the team’s recent success, accepted a well-earned head coaching position at Eastern Michigan.
Longtime contributor Dick Bender retired after a decorated 14-year career, while assistant coach Sean Dixon joined Pat Kelsey’s staff at Louisville on April 4. The program also saw a major shift in its front office, as former general manager Lucas McKay departed to take the same role at Oklahoma.
In response, head coach Brad Brownell and his staff moved quickly to reshape the program’s leadership structure.
On March 30, Clemson announced the addition of assistant coach Chad Warner, who spent the 2025-26 season at Minnesota after three successful years at Furman. During his time with the Paladins, Warner helped guide the program to a school-record 28 wins in 2022-23, highlighted by a 68-67 upset victory over No. 4 seed Virginia in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
That same day, Clemson added assistant coach Chris Harriman, a veteran with over two decades of experience. Harriman most recently served under Chris Mack at Charleston, helping lead the program to 45 wins over two seasons. Widely regarded for his recruiting ability — particularly on the international stage — Harriman was named one of CBS Sports’ Top 5 Division I Assistants.
As a player, he competed professionally in Australia’s National Basketball League for the Illawarra Hawks, Sydney Kings and Hunter Valley Pirates, earning runner-up honors for Rookie of the Year in the 2003-04 season.
Clemson continued to build out its staff with the additions of assistant coaches Andre Morgan and Chris Hollander.
Morgan brings a strong track record from stops including Cincinnati and UNC Greensboro, where he contributed to multiple high-performing seasons and conference success in the Southern Conference. Hollander arrives with five seasons of experience under Cuonzo Martin, including a campaign in which his team reached 20 wins and finished fourth in the SEC.
Together, the new assistants bring a blend of recruiting strength, player development expertise and familiarity with winning programs. He will join the new group of assistant coaches as they attempt to steer Clemson toward deeper postseason success and consistent performance.
Beyond the bench, Clemson also made a significant addition to its evolving front office structure with the hiring of general manager Tyler Murray on April 15. Murray most recently served as associate head coach at Samford, where the Bulldogs posted an 18-14 record overall and went 11-7 in conference play. Prior to that, he spent five seasons under Lennie Acuff at Lipscomb, playing a key role in a 25-10 season that culminated in both the Atlantic Sun regular season and tournament titles, as well as an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Murray’s career reflects a deep background in both coaching and program building. His previous stops include Furman, where he contributed to a nationally ranked start and 25-win season, as well as Charleston Southern and Shorter University, where he served as head coach and led the program to postseason appearances and notable wins over ranked opponents.
Known for his recruiting acumen and organizational mindset, Murray is expected to play a critical role in roster construction, NIL strategy and overall program operations as Clemson continues to adapt to the modern landscape of college basketball.
With a retooled staff and a renewed organizational structure in place, Clemson enters the 2026-27 season aiming to build on recent success while positioning itself for deeper postseason runs in an increasingly competitive college basketball environment.
