Transfers in Clemson Basketball: Rating the Player Additions and Their Influence
Since March, the Clemson men’s basketball team has had a busy offseason, quickly doing whatever they can to reload and repeat as one of the top teams in the ACC next season. The Tigers have done a great job of filling in the roster spots for next season, adding four transfer players to help them make another strong push at a spot in the NCAA Tournament. With the roster complete and ready for next season, it is time to assess these acquisitions and see how they will fit into head coach Brad Brownell’s rotation.
Joseph Girard III – A+
Girard was the ideal pickup for Brownell and his staff, as he fits in perfectly for the vacancy that former Tiger Brevin Galloway left after his final year of eligibility last season. Girard will slide into that second starting guard spot next season, joining senior Chase Hunter and creating one of the top backcourts in the conference.
Another thing that Girard provides is scoring, which will be needed as Clemson lost one of their top scorers in Hunter Tyson. With all of the attention most likely being on PJ Hall after Tyson’s departure, Girard can add plenty of points in the backcourt, averaging 16.4 points per game last season with the Syracuse Orange. Girard’s addition and Hall’s return to Clemson give the Tigers the two top returning scorers of the ACC last season. The graduate transfer also shot 38.1% from three-point range last season, which is something that the Tigers like to do often.
Lastly, Girard’s experience could help the younger players grow, especially the underclassmen guards. Players like Dillon Hunter and Joshua Beadle can learn from Girard as a player who has many years of experience under his belt, like a Brevin Galloway-type player when it comes to experience.
Wherever Girard plays, which I believe he will play the point guard position next winter, he will provide an immediate impact for Clemson and help them get back to the top of the ACC next season.
Jake Heidbreder – A-
Heidbreder is a guy that I’d like to call a “Kickstarter” for the Tigers next season. The rising junior is a sharpshooter that any team would be happy to have to make huge shots or stop runs. In his sophomore season with Air Force, Heidbreder averaged 15.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, also shooting 50.5% from the field, 40.7% from beyond the arc, and 91.7% from the free throw line.
The Air Force transfer will be one of the first players to come off of the bench for the Tigers next season, potentially getting starts if injuries do occur or if he has a great stretch of games. With bench scoring needed for a team to succeed, Heidbreder could provide just that and be a huge X-factor in games. This was a great pickup for Clemson.
Jack Clark – B+
Former NC State Wolfpack forward Jack Clark will most likely fill in Hunter Tyson’s spot at the vacant forward position, and he has plenty of talent to succeed with the Tigers next season. Although he has to fill the big shoes of Tyson, Clark has plenty of tools to have a successful season at Littlejohn Coliseum.
The now fifth-year senior had a huge junior year with La Salle, averaging 12 points and 5.8 rebounds before transferring to NC State for his senior year. There, he scored nine points and 6.9 rebounds per game for the Wolfpack, but he fought through injury during certain parts of the season, especially towards the end approaching the ACC and NCAA Tournament.
Expect Clark to play with Ian Schieffelin at the forward position and be a guy who can get the Tigers key shots and important rebounding when it matters. Clemson will undoubtedly see an increase in Clark’s numbers compared to last season, especially on the rebounding side.
Bas Leyte – B
Despite PJ Hall’s announcement to return to the Tigers, center Bas Leyte is still a much-needed pickup for the Tigers this season. With the departure of Ben Middlebrooks in the transfer portal, Leyte will fit in behind Hall as the backup center for the Tigers, providing a strong big man that has plenty of experience at the collegiate level.
Leyte spent the last four seasons with UNC Greensboro, averaging 7.6 points and 4.3 rebounds in his senior year. Over the years, the Dutch transfer has shown off his post moves, being another guy that Brownell can get points out of in the rotation, and has a gritty player who can play through contact.
Leyte, who stands at 6-foot-10, 220 pounds, could also play the power forward position if Brownell needs extra height in certain moments.
All four of these players are excellent pickups for Clemson basketball, who hope that these offseason moves can provide game-changing moments and help the Tigers achieve success in the 2023-2024 season.
