A familiar face and a South Carolina native is returning home to close out his college basketball career at Clemson.
Boston College transfer guard Brevin Galloway committed to the Tigers on Tuesday after narrowing his options down to Clemson and South Carolina.
Galloway entered the portal on April 11 and he was on the phone with Clemson coach Brad Brownell shortly thereafter. He spoke with South Carolina, as well as schools like Michigan and Oklahoma, but he wanted to go somewhere that he felt he was going to be wanted and needed.
“I picked Clemson because obviously, my relationship with Brownell has been there since I was a kid as well,” Galloway told The Clemson Insider in a phone interview Wednesday. “I’ve known him since I was 10 just because Coach (Earl) Grant was on the staff… So, obviously, it’s still kind of in the same family, which is what I wanted to be. I wanted to be somewhere for my last year that’s home and I’m familiar with, kind of similar to Boston College, in terms of the coaching staff and the atmosphere.
“That was the biggest thing, and being close to my family and being able to play in front of my family and friends on a regular basis at the highest level at the ACC is an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down.”
Galloway is the older brother of former Clemson tight end Braden Galloway, who has since graduated from the program. Not only did Braden’s experience at Clemson ultimately play a factor in Brevin’s decision, but so did the feeling he received every time he stepped on campus.
“Obviously, seeing what he went through in his career and seeing the love he got, the amount of attention and just the genuine fan feeling that he had,” Brevin said. “Like the Clemson fans just showing love, in general, is what I want to go through. Clemson’s fanbase is insane. I remember playing there this past year and just walking out with 60 minutes on the clock and the students are filling up the gym. That’s the kind of atmosphere and experience that I want to have in my last year of school. I’m really, really excited for it.”
Brevin knew in his heart that’s something he wanted to be a part of for his final season of collegiate eligibility, but it almost didn’t happen.
After Boston College lost to the University of Miami in the ACC tournament quarterfinals, Brevin was distraught. Just as he was finally starting to get healthy, he thought his college basketball career as he knew it was over.
“I was emotional because I was finally getting healthy and then it was over with,” he said. “I was really, really upset.”
But then, April 1 hit.
Brevin was scrolling on Twitter and came across a tweet about him. It said something about Makai Ashton-Langford returning, while also saying that Brevin would not be returning to Boston College.
He didn’t realize he had that option.
“I realized that since I missed two years earlier in my career due to injury, I was able to get another year back,” Brevin said. “This was the perfect timing because this is the healthiest I’ve been in my career. I’ve lost all the weight that I’ve gained and I’ve learned from all the mistakes that I’ve made prior to this moment. I was really excited to have another year and to be able to come back home. Just to get this experience is gonna be insane.”
In his lone season at Boston College, Brevin averaged 8.3 points and 1.5 rebounds while shooting just 25.6 from 3-point range.
Prior to his stint in Chestnut Hill, Brevin shot 36% from beyond the arc over four seasons at Charleston, where he was a three-year starter and averaged 15 points early in the 2020-21 season before an injury cut it short.
Playing under Grant at Boston College helped Brevin learn some things about himself.
“I feel like it’s definitely helped me mature and grow,” he said. “It’s made me realize what I want and that’s why I’m so sure about my last year. I wanted to come back home, be in-state, be close to the people I love and just have that southern atmosphere again, I miss it. I was able to experience (Boston College) for a year and I’m thankful for it because it definitely helped me grow.”
At the same time, he was also dealing with a knee injury that not only required surgery but steroids shots as well. He also had to have his knee drained after every game.
The injuries have taken their toll, but they’ve also helped him gain some perspective he might otherwise not have.
“The biggest thing was being grateful for everything because I realized how quickly it can be taken away,” Brevin said, “and that’s why I’m so grateful for this moment. I’ve had great opportunities in the past taken away, but in terms of an opportunity as big as this at this stage in my career, after everything that I’ve been through, this is crazy for me to get this opportunity.
Brevin learned how to be patient. He knew his work ethic had to get better and that he had to have trust in the process that came with it. Brevin will be the first to tell you that he became lazy during his senior season. He gained some weight, which he attributes to COVID-19 and admittedly slacked off.
After tearing his ACL, Brevin had to learn how to walk, run and jump again.
“Going forward, I just learned how to appreciate every day and not take anything for granted just because I know how quickly it can be taken away,” he said.
What role does Galloway expect to take on at Clemson?
The biggest thing for Brevin is now that he’s healthy, he feels like he’s gonna be able to do a lot more than what people have come to expect of him in the past. He’s going to have the ball a lot more in his hands and the chance to make plays.
“In terms of a team and how our team is made up, I feel like we’re gonna be great just because everyone has their strengths and I’m a shooter,” Brevin said. “Nobody’s gonna be able to double P.J. Hall if I’m wayside because nobody’s gonna be able to leave me. I definitely feel like we’ll be able to help each other out in all different kinds of ways. In terms of my role, I feel like I’m gonna be a focal point on the offensive end and I’m definitely gonna be a focal point on the defensive end.”
Brevin really wants to show that side of his game this season and prove that he can defend at a high level.
“When we had that conversation I told Coach Brownell that I don’t want to come unless I can be myself,” Brevin added. “He knows what to expect out of me and I know what to expect out of him, so I can’t wait to get there.
“I’m really excited about it. I feel like we’ll be able to win and compete at a high level and obviously, the sense of urgency is there on my part just because it’s my last year. I kind of just want to set the tone when I get there and send a message to those guys that this is it for us like we gotta make it happen this year.”
Photo for this article courtesy of Matt Cashore // USA TODAY Sports
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