Five-Star Prospect Impressed by Clemson, Brownell

As the Clemson Tigers gears up for the start of ACC play, facing Syracuse this Wednesday, the program's on-court identity continues to resonate beyond the current roster.

The Tigers currently sit at 10-3 heading into the New Year, and their momentum is already evident on the recruiting trail, particularly with highly-touted prospect Josh Leonard, who took his first unofficial visit to Clemson on June 1 and most recently has the program near the top of his list.

Leonard opened his summer visit schedule in Tigertown before making stops at NC State and South Carolina. While the Tigers' season hadn't yet started during his visit, his time on campus still left a strong impression.

Leonard is an in-state product who attends Wilson High School in Florence, approximately three hours away from Clemson. That said, with him traveling extensively for his junior season and being relatively close to the program in the first place, he made sure to attend a game.

While it wasn't an official or unofficial visit, he pointed out how electric the game-day atmosphere is in Littlejohn Coliseum, as well as mentioning how he'd fit well in the program's system considering head coach Brad Brownell's scheme.

However, Leonard's recruitment remains very competitive with some of the best programs in the country reaching out to the versatile forward.

He's heard from some of the best schools in the country and has over 10 offers already. His total list of offers includes Clemson, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, California, Cincinnati, Mississippi State, NC State, UCF, Wake Forest, as well as Charleston and Jacksonville.

Who is Josh Leonard?

Leonard is one of the most coveted players in the 2027 recruiting class, earning five-star status as soon as the class rankings came out thanks to his combination of maturity, size and versatility on both ends of the floor.

He ranks as the No. 15 player in the country, the No. 6 small forward and the No. 1 player in South Carolina, according to 247Sports Composite.

Leonard's potential has been evident since he was a middle schooler, making Wilson's varsity squad as an eighth grader. Mind you, the team was fresh off a state title. The young forward made an instant impact over the course of 29 games, averaging 9.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.6 blocks per game.

As a freshman the following year, he made much-needed strides as a scorer and playmaker for the Tigers, putting up just under 14 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists a night while still making plays on the defensive side of the ball.

While the skill was there in his first two seasons, he took a massive jump as a sophomore in a more expanded role. En route to a 4A SCHSL final four appearance, Leonard averaged a double-double of 21.7 points, 10 rebounds and 2.7 assists. Still, his best was yet to come.

Through nine games played as a junior this season, he is averaging 22.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 3.1 steals, and 1.6 blocks per contest. Leonard and the Tigers are seeking their first state title since the 2021-2022 season, as the school sits as the No. 7 team in the state with a 7-4 record.

It's still very early in the 2027 cycle currently but if Leonard were to commit to the Tigers within the next two years — and his current ranking holds — it would stand as the most significant recruiting win of the Brownell era and the greatest commitment in program history.