Clemson Basketball Getting Back Familiar Face on 2026-27 Roster

One of the rare cases in college athletics, a player whose played for a program for four seasons, will return to Clemson for his fifth and final year.

Clemson guard Dillon Hunter (left) is expected to return to the program after being granted a fifth year of eligibility. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The new five-year rule for the Class of 2022 has affected nearly every team. Now, the Clemson Tigers will take advantage of it by getting back a cornerstone piece of the program. 

According to TigerIllustrated’s Larry Williams, Clemson guard Dillon Hunter is returning to the program after being granted a fifth year of eligibility for the 2026-27 season. He will fill the final roster spot that the Tigers were looking for, returning to a backcourt already with retention pieces.

🔥 Dillon Hunter was announced as a signee to an overseas pro contract with the German team Eisbären Bremerhaven in mid-July. There has been a change of plans, sources tell https://t.co/N7J1obM5qb. #CLEMSON

🏀 https://t.co/m0mGmwVlsf pic.twitter.com/kBVBYBsitC

— Tigerillustrated.com (@TIinClemson) August 24, 2026

Despite signing an overseas pro contract with Eisbären Bremerhaven in the middle of July, the breakthrough of the ruling allowing certain seniors to gain a final year of eligibility allowed players to return to college basketball. Hunter was one of those players, entering the portal on August 1.

Only about 30 other players are in the same situation, with Hunter being one of them. Fellow teammate RJ Godfrey also received an extra year, but he decided to go to Arizona. However, Hunter will return home to play his fifth season inside Littlejohn Coliseum.  

Being a critical bench piece for the Tigers in his first three seasons in the Upstate, Hunter started in all 35 games for Clemson last season, averaging 7.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Being the main facilitator for the program, he rejoins head coach Brad Brownell with a group that has prioritized itself on shooting and an offensive backcourt. 

The program is expected to start sophomore guard Ace Buckner and Zac Foster throughout the season, though that is now unknown with Hunter returning. However, some of the Atlanta natives’ best games were from off the bench, being a key facilitator and defender over the years. 

Foster is still overcoming a torn ACL, however, while Buckner is returning from shoulder surgery from the offseason. Though they might not be 100% when the season begins, having a mainstay from previous teams will be helpful throughout the non-conference schedule. 

A returner from last season, center Carter Welling, also tore his ACL back in March and will miss the start of the year. The return of the guard is helpful in that aspect as well.  

Clemson basketball is coming off three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, the first time under Brownell, the longest-tenured head coach in the ACC. Hunter’s experience will be helpful on that front, looking to make it four. 

Having a player from the program’s Elite Eight team back in the 2023-24 season will surely be handy, too.

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