For the first time since the 2025-26 college basketball season ended, Clemson men’s basketball will play in a game, although it isn’t official.
The Tigers will tip off from Littlejohn Coliseum with the Georgia Bulldogs on Friday night, giving fans and media alike their first look at Brad Brownell’s newest group. There’s been plenty of praise for the group, although recent injuries have derailed what it could potentially look like going forward.
However, the media got the chance to speak to some of the players and see 25 minutes of the team’s practice on Monday. Here’s what I took away from it.
1. A Bigger Starting 5 Than Expected
The big question going into the day was how different Clemson would look without Zac Foster, who tore his ACL again and is set to miss the 2026-27 season. From watching practice to begin the week, there was a group of five who led the group through drills.
In the backcourt, Brownell was getting ready to run a three-guard lineup. Foster, junior Ace Buckner and Notre Dame transfer Cole Certa were expected to be the three who would light up the Tigers’ offense. However, with Foster out, Buckner is bringing up the ball at point guard, while Certa is the exciting shooting guard who brings a plethora of experience from the ACC in his first two seasons.
TCU transfer Liutauras Lelevicius and San Francisco big man David Fuchs made up the three-and-four spots on the floor, while Samford transfer Dylan Faulkner is expected to be the center to relieve Carter Welling. Welling is recovering from a torn ACL as well.
I would expect those five to start at Georgia, and I guess that Fuchs was the player who entered the starting five for Foster. Now, Clemson has three players in that lineup over 6-foot-9.
2. A Bench Filled With Glue Guys
While Buckner and Welling took the trip to Charlotte, North Carolina, at the beginning of the month to represent the team at ACC Tipoff, we were able to speak with multiple other players who will make up the rotation.
Wing Dallas Thomas said that he grew as a vocal leader, being in his third year in a program that has plenty of new faces. He also said that rebounding and defensive players have been what elevated him the most as a third-year player.
Sophomore Trent Steinour gained 27 pounds throughout the season, and while he lost some in the summer, he told me his “touch is better around the rim”, and that he is more physical as a rebounder going forward.
Other names, like sophomore Chase Thompson and Blake Davidson, said they’ll do whatever is necessary, setting the stage for a rotation that is filled with making the right plays to put Clemson in the best position.
3. A Familiar Face Practicing?
Clemson is waiting out the eligibility verdict on guard Dillon Hunter, who was a part of the team’s Elite Eight team back in 2024. In his fifth year, he is currently ineligible to play, although that can change quickly in college athletics, as we all know.
However, Hunter was practicing with the team on Monday, playing with the second rotation that saw him and true freshman Harris Reynolds split time bringing up the ball at point guard. The Tigers would use him similarly to his role as a junior, being a third guard who can make winning plays instead of being the primary scorer.
Especially with Foster out, Hunter would be a critical get for the group, which will add some more veteran experience in a rotation that has a lot of new faces for Brownell.
Tip-off between the Tigers and Bulldogs is set for 7 p.m. at Littlejohn Coliseum. Clemson Tigers on SI will be on-site for the exhibition.
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