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Clemson Tigers Men’s Basketball Team Lands Talented Scoring Guard in Transfer Portal

The Clemson Tigers men's basketball team landed a dynamic scoring guard in the transfer portal.
Kenneth Teape|
MTSU head coach Nick McDevitt with MTSU guard Jestin Porter (3) on the sidelines during the game against Brescia on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, at MTSU's Murphy Center. 17 Mtsu Men Vs Brescia Hoops
MTSU head coach Nick McDevitt with MTSU guard Jestin Porter (3) on the sidelines during the game against Brescia on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, at MTSU's Murphy Center. 17 Mtsu Men Vs Brescia Hoops | HELEN COMER/The Daily News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Clemson Tigers

The Clemson Tigers men’s basketball team is going to look a lot different during the 2025-26 season than it did during its historic 2024-25 campaign.

The Tigers won a program record 27 games overall and 18 games during ACC play. They reached as high as No. 10 in the AP Poll and earned a No. 5 seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Unfortunately, their stay in the tournament was much shorter this year than in 2024.

After advancing to the Elite Eight, where they lost to the Alabama Crimson Tide last year, Clemson was knocked out in the first round by the McNeese State Cowboys in a surprising upset.

It was a tough way for their successful season to end, and head coach Brad Brownell had to get to get to work immediately with restocking the roster.

The team’s top five scorers, Chase Hunter, Ian Schieffelin, Jaeden Zackery, Viktor Lahkin and Chauncey Wiggins, are not returning next fall. Neither is Jake Heidbreder and rising freshman Del Jones, who were both key parts of the rotation.

A lot depth pieces such as Asa Thomas, Jackson Roberts and Christian Reeves are also departing the program.

That is a lot of production and depth that Brownell needs to address, with the process starting weeks ago.

On Saturday afternoon, the team was able to snag another player who will help replace the scoring production that was lost.

Clemson Basketball on X, their official account, shared a post welcoming Jestin Porter to the team.

The Cypress Ridge product spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career with the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders. He came off the bench in all but five games as a freshman, averaging 5.9 points per game, before moving into the starting lineup permanently as a sophomore and junior.

Porter was an integral part of the team’s offensive game plan, leading the Blue Raiders with 13.9 points per game during the 2023-24 season and 15.0 points per game this past campaign.

He has done a great job throughout his career taking care of the ball, dropping his turnover rate each season. His true-shooting percentage of 52.3% in his career is solid as well.

Twice he made the All-CUSA Second Team and was a member of the 2024 All-CUSA Tournament team.

With so many scoring options not returning for the 2025-26 season, Porter has a chance to assume a leading role offensively right out of the gate.

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Kenneth Teape
KENNETH TEAPE

Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.

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