Clemson’s men’s basketball roster will have a somewhat different look to it next season.
Such is life for most teams in the age of the transfer portal, which giveth and taketh away. With guard Al-Amir Dawes being latest Tiger to enter the portal, Clemson’s backcourt has been hit particularly hard by the attrition, which includes the departure of starting point guard Nick Honor.
The Tigers brought in two transfers last year in David Collins, another guard who started all 32 games he played this season, and forward Naz Bohannon. But both are out of eligibility, further depleting Clemson’s rotation.
So far, the Tigers have lost five scholarship players off the roster from this past season. Clemson coach Brad Brownell has signed three high school players during the 2022 recruiting cycle, but the Tigers still have three scholarships available for next season’s roster. If Brownell and his staff are going to add to it, those scholarships will almost certainly be used in the portal.
With Clemson’s most pressing need being immediate help in the backcourt, here’s a look at some of the available transfer that could be ideal fits to join the Tigers’ 2022-23 roster:
Andre Curbelo, Illinois
With Honor and Dawes (who played on and off the ball) both gone, Clemson is losing its top two primary ball handlers, making point guard a must-get for the Tigers. And Curbelo is one of the best available.
Curbelo was slowed by a neck injury that kept him out of the lineup until January, but he started his first four games back at the point this past season. Turnovers have been an issue at times, but Curbelo, just a sophomore, is a dish-first point guard who had 3.2 assists per game this past season and averaged 3.8 during his two seasons in Champagne.
As a key rotational piece for a top-25 Illinois team, Curbelo has no shortage of suitors, but Clemson is reportedly one of the teams that has reached out to gauge his interest.
Xavier Pinson, LSU
Another point guard, Pinson is part of the mass attrition in Baton Rouge following Will Wade’s firing last month. Pinson spent just one season at LSU after transferring in from Missouri, but he’s immediately eligible again as a graduate transfer.
Averaging more than 10 points in his college career so far, Pinson is a bit different stylistically than Curbelo at the point. But there may not be a more experienced point guard in the portal than Pinson, who’s played in 116 games in four college seasons and will immediately bring a veteran presence to whichever roster he decides to join next season.
At 6-foot-2, Pinson is also taller than what Clemson had at the point last season, which could help the Tigers on the defensive end, particularly against teams with bigger guards.
Tristen Newton, East Carolina
Newton might be the most complete point guard on this list – and, as a local mid-major player looking to take a step up in level of competition, might be the most realistic option for Clemson, too.
A three-year starter for ECU, Newton averaged 17.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists this past season for the Pirates. The 6-5, 200-pounder also shot better than 43% from the field en route to second-team all-American Athletic Conference honors.
Newton could provide a little bit of everything at the point, including the kind of size Clemson hasn’t had at the position in a while. The Tigers have reportedly reached out to gauge Newton’s interest, but there will be plenty of high-major competition for Newton’s services.
Cam Spencer, Loyola Maryland
With three of its top five scorers heading out, Clemson could use some bucket-getters. And Dawes’ departure also means the Tigers are losing their most consistent 3-point threat.
Spencer could provide some of both.
A first-team all-Patriot League selection this past season, Spencer led the conference in scoring at 18.9 points per game, including a season-high 32 against the College of Charleston. He also dropped 15 against North Carolina back in November. Dawes shot 46.8% from the field and 35.3% from 3-point range.
And at 6-4 and 207 pounds, Spencer is another guard that could give Clemson some bulk on the perimeter. The Tigers have reportedly reached out to Spencer along with other high-major programs.
Jaelin Llewellyn, Princeton
Llewellyn not only was a first-team all-Ivy League performer this past season, but the 6-2, 185-pounder was also one of the league’s top shooters. He shot nearly 39% from beyond the arc and averaged 15.7 points for the season.
In games against South Carolina, Minnesota and Oregon State – Princeton’s only three against Power Six competition – Llewellyn looked like he belonged, scoring 16.3 points per game. Llewellyn also showed above-average rebounding abilities for his size (4.1 per game), something Clemson could use more of from a guard now that Collins, the Tigers’ leading rebounder last season, has exhausted his eligibility.
Llewellyn is another transfer Clemson has reportedly already shown interest in, and for good reason.
Kario Oquendo, Georgia
Oquendo officially entered the transfer portal Wednesday, a move that has drawn plenty of eyes given his ability to put the ball in the basket.
While he was a below-average 3-point shooter for Georgia this past season (27.2%), Oquendo is an uber-athletic guard that can create off the bounce for himself and others. He still shot 45.3% from the field overall in leading the Bulldogs in scoring at 15.2 points per game.
He was even better in SEC play, averaging more than 18 points against league competition. Oquendo also averaged 4.3 rebounds and more than a steal per game. At 6-4 and 210 pounds, he’s in the mold of a bigger guard, and he’s got multiple years of eligibility left after playing two seasons at Georgia.
Oquendo isn’t far away either, though Clemson figures to have plenty of competition from other high-major programs should the Tigers decide to pursue him.
Jermaine Couisnard, South Carolina
Couisnard was perhaps Frank Martin’s best player this past season. Might the former Gamecock be interested in switching sides of the rivalry?
Couisnard isn’t the most consistent shooter from long distance (he never shot better than 32.3% from deep in three years at South Carolina), but the 6-4, 211-pounder is a big-bodied guard who could give the Tigers an aggressive edge on both ends of the floor. Couisnard averaged a team-high 12 points for the Gamecocks last season while also grabbing 2.5 rebounds and dishing out 3.2 assists.
He also averaged more than a steal per game. If more physicality on the perimeter is what Brownell is looking to add with at least one transfer guard, he could do a lot worse than Couisnard, who’s also reportedly heard from Clemson.
Dischon Thomas, Colorado State
With leading scorer PJ Hall, Hunter Tyson, Ben Middlebrooks and Ian Schieffelin all in line to return next season (and three-star signee Chauncey Wiggins also joining the mix), Clemson doesn’t have a desperate need in the frontcourt.
But if the Tigers want a ready-made stretch forward that’s capable of boosting their shooting at that position, it might be worth at least kicking the tires on Thomas, one of the Mountain West’s best shooting bigs this past season. The 6-8 Thomas shot 41% from 3-point range and knocked down five 3s in Colorado State’s NCAA Tournament loss to Michigan.
Thomas shot 45% from deep two seasons ago as a sophomore for the Rams, who are coached by a name that may be familiar to some in these parts, Niko Medved (the former Furman coach). Thomas will likely look for a landing spot where he can be a starter from Day 1 after starting 29 games this past season. That likely wouldn’t happen at Clemson, but a phone call wouldn’t hurt if you’re the Tigers.
Photo courtesy of the USA Today Sports Network
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