CLEMSON – Clemson basketballThe 2024-25 lineup appears set after star Chase Hunter announced his return to the program last week.
The Tigers are pushing for their first Final Four in program history after reaching the Elite Eight for the first time in 44 years and reaching the NCAA Tournament for the third time in seven years.
“People are surprised we did so well,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said. “(We’re) starting to separate ourselves from a lot of people.”
To return to March Madness, Brownell revamped his roster after losing key contributors like PJ Hall (NBA draft), Joseph Girard III (eligibility expired), RJ Godfrey (transfer portal) and Jack Clark (portal). The 15-year Tigers coach dipped into the portal to add four transfers to pair with returning players and three freshmen.
Here’s how Clemson’s roster stacks up entering the 2024-25 season.
Clemson basketball’s projected starters
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G Chase Hunter (sixth-year senior)
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G Jaeden Zackery (senior)
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Chauncey Wiggins (junior)
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F Ian Schieffelin (senior)
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C Viktor Lakhin (senior)
This starting lineup has the experience and length that should be beneficial to the Tigers. Hunter returns as Clemson’s most experienced player and leader after withdrawing from the NBA draft. He averaged 17.8 points, 5.8 assists and two steals in four games in the NCAA tournament.
Zackery, a 6-foot-2 Boston College transfer, averaged 20 points, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals in two games against the Tigers last season. His pairing with Hunter will allow Clemson to have a veteran backcourt that can facilitate the offense, score in the zone and play stout defense against opposing guards.
Schieffelin will continue to be a starter in the frontcourt, with Wiggins joining the lineup and Lakhin, a 6-11 transfer from Cincinnati, replacing Hall at center. Brownell wants Schieffelin, the ACC’s most outstanding player, and Wiggins to make another jump in scoring. Lakhin brings much-needed size and a 3-point shot that can stretch the floor.
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Clemson basketball will have more experienced bench
After relying primarily on four sophomores last season, the Tigers’ reserve unit will be much more experienced. Their key contributors will feature senior Myles Foster, junior Dillon Hunter, redshirt junior Jake Heidbreder and redshirt sophomore Christian Reeves.
Dillon Hunter will have a bigger role this season after showing his value off the bench on both ends of the court during March Madness. Heidbreder, who didn’t play in any games last season after transferring from Air Force, will add 3-point shooting that will be needed after Girard’s departure.
Foster, a 6-7 transfer from Illinois State, averaged 12.4 points and 8.1 rebounds last season. He is a tenacious rebounder who will bring Clemson off the bench. Reeves, a 7-1 transfer from Duke, is recovering from right ankle surgery but has the makings of being a star with Clemson in the future with his shot blocking and scoring.
Replacing PJ Hall, Joseph Girard III’s scoring will be critical
Clemson lost three of its top five scorers after the departure of Hall (18.3 points average), Girard (15.1) and Godfrey (6.1). Hall and Girard were also the team’s leading 3-point shooters, connecting on 37.5% on a total of 11.6 attempts per game. Brownell recognizes that players need to work hard to replace that offensive production.
“There are a lot of shots left for other players,” Brownell said. “The guys that have great off-seasons and continue to work to get better, it’s natural for those older guys to be the next steps in getting those opportunities.”
Except for Heidbreder’s second season at Air Force, no player on the Clemson roster averaged more than 15 points. The Tigers will need one or two players to break out in 2024-25, or there must be a scoring-by-committee approach where multiple players average nine to 14 points.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared in the Greenville News: Clemson basketball: Projected starters for Tigers in 2024-25 season
