Top 15 Prospect Holds Strong Relationship With Clemson Basketball

An in-state standout has the Clemson Tigers on his radar, and head coach Brad Brownell is looking to make a statement with his 2027 class.

Clemson Head Coach Brad Brownell talks with media after a 63-52 win over Pitt at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, S.C Saturday, January 31, 2025. The Brownell led Tigers beat Pitt 63-52 and earned him his 200th home coaching win. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

An in-state product holds high praise for the Clemson Tigers, and head coach Brad Brownell has the chance to bring in a top recruit for next year’s class. 

Small forward Josh Leonard revealed that he went on an unofficial visit to Clemson, according to Rivals, as well as two other schools in the area over the course of the 2025-26 season. Playing in high school as a productive scorer with Wilson High School in Florence, South Carolina, he would pan out as a strong wing wherever he ends up going. 

Especially being from the Palmetto State, Brownell wants to make sure that the forward remains home for the next several seasons. Leonard has also expressed how he would like to make his decision before his senior season this winter. 

The standout recorded 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.8 steals for Wilson last season, cementing himself as one of the top players in the 2027 class. Leonard is the No. 3 player at the small forward position and the No. 1 player in the state of South Carolina. 

Clemson’s not the only team to host Leonard, however. South Carolina hosted him this past summer and NC State hosted him twice, once during a Wolfpack game in the first weekend of March. The Gamecocks will continue to make a strong push to help turn their program around in seasons to come. 

However, Leonard has plenty of praise for the Tigers. 

“My relationship has grown heavily with the staff, getting to know all the coaches who are there better every day,” he told On3. “How they play their threes and fours stand out to me.”

It won't be long until bigger schools reach out to the South Carolina recruit, with Tennessee already looking to snag Leonard before his senior season begins. Others should follow.

The pickup would be huge for Clemson, having done so before with picking up in-state talent. Center PJ Hall was a local product who was a top 100 player in his respective class. By the time his senior year came around, the Spartanburg, South Carolina, native finished with a first-team All-ACC selection and an Elite Eight appearance. 

Current guard Zac Foster is already one of the top recruited players in program history, and even with a small sample size, his production was visible early before his season-ending injury back in December. 

The Tigers are without a player in the class of 2027 class as of April 23, although that’s expected to change as the summer approaches. Many players do the same as Leonard with committing, doing so before their senior seasons begin at their respective school. 

Clemson Tigers on SI will remain updated with Leonard’s recruitment, as well as the other targets that Brownell and his staff have for the 2027 class.