Clemson Basketball Alum Joins Toronto Raptors

Former Clemson big man Trey Jemison III reached an agreement with the Toronto Raptors on a 1-year, two-way contract, per NBA insider Chris Haynes.

The former Tiger reached the pinnacle of the sport just a couple of months ago, winning his first NBA championship when the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the NBA Finals.

Jemison played 13 games on a two-way deal for the Knicks last season, averaging 6.3 minutes per game, totaling 13 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. He served as a backup big option alongside rotation mainstays Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson.

“I know he didn't dress [for the Playoffs], but Trey’s a great young man and I’m really happy for him,” head coach Brad Brownell said. “He’s a hard worker and a good kid. Big smile. He was a lot like RJ [Godfrey], in all honesty, and personality. A fun-loving kid and a joy to coach every day.”

Toronto will be Jemison’s sixth different NBA team, following stints with the Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Lakers, and Knicks.

JJ Redick says that the Lakers’ addition of the 6-10, 270-pound center Trey Jemison on a two-way contract coincides with his and his coaching staff’s interest in experimenting with more two-big lineups with Anthony Davis + another 5 on the floor pic.twitter.com/Bdtldpwz5m
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 16, 2025

A three-star prospect out of Birmingham, Alabama, Jemison committed to Clemson over other offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia Tech, Harvard, and others. After starting just once in 50 games as a freshman and sophomore at Clemson, he returned to his home city to play for UAB. While with the Blazers, he played in 102 games, starting all but one game.

After averaging a career-high 9.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game as a senior for UAB, Jemison went undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft. He latched on quickly for the Memphis Grizzlies in the back half of the 2024 season, making 23 appearances (14 starts) for the team. In a mid-March contest against the Wizards he erupted, scoring 24 points, grabbing 6 rebounds, and blocking 2 shots while shooting 11-for-13 from the field.

When looking at Jemison’s fit in Toronto, it promises to be a competition. The Raptors have a loaded frontcourt rotation already, with foundational pieces like Jakob Poetl, Scottie Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles, and rookie Allen Graves. Jemison will likely be battling for a backup center role behind Poetl.

The move represents a depth signing by Toronto that could bear fruit if Jemison blossoms into a player who can set hard screens, protect the paint, and eat up 10-12 minutes per night as a back-end rotation option.

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