Advertisement

Clemson basketball roster 2024-25: PJ Hall, Chase Hunter return or is it Ian Schieffelin's team?

CLEMSON — Clemson basketball's run in the NCAA Tournament was a success, reaching the Elite Eight for the first time since 1980. The Tigers' journey ended Saturday as it fell 89-82 to Alabama in Los Angeles at Crypto.com Arena.

Entering the offseason, the Tigers (24-12) will await decisions from PJ Hall, Chase Hunter and Jack Clark as all three can return for one more season.

Clemson will lose Joseph Girard III because of expiring eligibility but will return the ACC's Most Improved Player, Ian Schieffelin, for his senior season and a wealth of rising juniors who can become starters next season. The team also will add three incoming freshmen and potentially transfers.

Here are the players who are leaving and returning for the Tigers' 2024-25 season:

Will PJ Hall, Chase Hunter, Jack Clark return for Clemson in 2024-25?

Hall, who made All-ACC first team after being tied for second in scoring average (18.8) in the conference, has a fifth year of eligibility because he was a freshman during the COVID 2020-21 season. The Spartanburg native can test the pro waters like he did last year and return to Clemson for one more season, or he can enter the NBA draft.

"It's been a great year, and we'll see how the summer goes, but I also don't want to overstay my welcome," Hall said earlier this season.

Hunter has a sixth year of eligibility remaining because of his redshirt and COVID years. He was Clemson's third-leading scorer this season and stepped up during March Madness, averaging 17.8 points per game.

Then, there's Clark, who is unsure if he has an extra year of eligibility. He played nine out of 31 games in his freshman season at La Salle before a lower-body injury, which landed him a medical redshirt the following season. The Pennsylvania native played during the COVID 2020-21 season, too, which allows a potential seventh year.

Clemson basketball roster expected departures

  • Joseph Girard III

  • Bas Leyte

Girard, a Syracuse transfer, came over to the Tigers and added veteran experience and three-level scoring.

Leyte appeared in 20 games this season for the Tigers but battled a shoulder injury that limited him.

MORE: Here's what Clemson basketball has to do to replicate this season's success

Clemson basketball roster 2024-25 expected returnees

  • Ian Schieffelin

  • Josh Beadle

  • RJ Godfrey

  • Chauncey Wiggins

  • Dillon Hunter

  • Alex Hemenway

  • Matt Kelly

  • Andrew Latiff

  • Daniel Nauseef

  • Jake Heidbreder

  • Asa Thomas

Schieffelin will be the leader of next season's team if Hall and Chase Hunter leave. A larger workload will be expected for Beadle, Godfrey, Wiggins and Dillon Hunter — who mostly came off the bench for the Tigers this season. Hemenway, who dealt with a lower body injury, appeared in only five games this season and has another year of eligibility remaining.

Kelly, Latiff and Nauseef played in five games this season, and Thomas and Heidbreder appeared in none.

Clemson basketball transfer portal options

Brownell will likely use the portal to add pieces. Since Clemson has struggled to land elite high school talent, unlike other ACC teams, he has attracted seasoned college players through the portal. Expect this to happen again this offseason to replace Girard and if Hall, Chase Hunter and Clark leave.

After Saturday's loss, Girard gave his pitch to why players should come to Clemson.

"Clemson is just an unbelievable place," Girard said. "There's unbelievable people. They, obviously, developed their players, and they win a lot of basketball games. Anyone looking forward to living in a great place, playing with great people, playing for great people, and doing great things should go to Clemson."

Clemson basketball signees in 2024 class

In the upcoming cycle, Clemson signed three three-star recruits — forward Dallas Thomas (Little Rock, Arkansas) and guards Ace Buckner (La Porte, Indiana) and Del Jones (Castaic, California). Its class ranks 21st overall (fifth in the ACC), according to 247Sports Composite.

Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson basketball 2024-25 roster: PJ Hall to NBA draft or return?