Just a day after receiving a commitment from Efrem ‘Butta’ Johnson out of UAB, Clemson Basketball gains their fifth recruit out of the transfer portal, Utah forward Jake Wahlin.
Wahlin is the first three-star transfer for the Tigers but is a rising junior with two years of eligibility left, similar to Utah Valley transfer Carter Welling.
Brad Brownell and the rest of his staff now have four total scholarships left to offer, with 11 players on the roster.
The 6-foot-10 Provo native ranked as a three-star in the class of 2023 and a top-3 player in Utah. Initially, he committed to his hometown school, BYU, going into his sophomore year in 2020, choosing them over San Diego State, Arizona State, and New Mexico, among others.
However, he would decommit three years later, right before entering his collegiate career, choosing to take his talents up north to Utah in Salt Lake City instead.
As a freshman, he didn’t see much playing time, seeing the court in just 20 games and 5.9 minutes per game. But he would see a significant increase in playing time as a sophomore.
This past season, he played in 33 games and started in 23, averaging 23.4 minutes per game. He put up six points, five rebounds, and 1.5 assists, along with nearly a steal and block per game on 47/35/67 shooting splits. The 211-pound big man is versatile on every level — similar to fellow Clemson recruit Nick Davidson — bringing size, defense and shooting to his new squad.
His best performance of the year came in a 74-67 win over No. 17 Kansas, where he boasted a stat line of 10 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists in 32 minutes, contributing heavily to the upset win. Earlier in the season, he put up a career-high 16 points, four rebounds, and three assists on perfect shooting splits in a dominant win over Oklahoma State — missing no shots on the night.
