Clemson's NBA Talent Pipeline
Clemson’s Jestin Porter, Chase Hunter, Ian Schieffelin Secure NBA Summer League Spots
Key Points
Jestin Porter posted 9.6 PPG in Clemson’s 2025-26 season, shot 34.8% from three, and had a season-high 26 points at Notre Dame on Jan. 10, 2026, after transferring from Middle Tennessee where he scored 1,500 career points across 135 games.
Chase Hunter ends his Clemson tenure with 1,789 career points, 4,576 minutes, and 167 games; he averaged 16.5 PPG as a senior and led Clemson in scoring during the 2024 Elite Eight run (17.8 PPG), while spending last season with the Laketown Squadron in the G-League, averaging 7.8 PPG.
Ian Schieffelin returned to basketball after a year in Clemson football, averaging 12.4 PPG, 9.4 RPG and 2.7 APG as a senior, earning ACC Most Improved Player and second-team All-ACC; he is noted as the first Clemson football-basketball player since DeAndre Hopkins in 2009-10.
Summer League details span all three players: Porter will join the Memphis Grizzlies for Salt Lake City and Las Vegas; Hunter will play for the Golden State Warriors with games against the Lakers (July 3) and Mavericks (July 9); Schieffelin will suit up for the Miami Heat beginning July 3 vs the Spurs in San Francisco, with a Las Vegas game against the Magic later in the event.
Three former Clemson basketball players are heading to the 2026 NBA Summer League, giving the Tigers program one of its biggest pro showcases in recent memory. Guard Jestin Porter signed with the Memphis Grizzlies, guard Chase Hunter will suit up for the Golden State Warriors, and forward Ian Schieffelin joins the Miami Heat — all set to tip off as early as July 3, according to Clemson Wire.
The trio represents three very different roads to the pros. Porter came through the transfer portal. Hunter spent six years building one of Clemson's most decorated careers. Schieffelin detoured through Clemson football before returning to the hardwood — making him the first dual-sport Tiger since DeAndre Hopkins in 2009-10, Fox Carolina reported.
Jestin Porter Takes Transfer Portal Path to Memphis
Porter arrived at Clemson as a proven scorer. He racked up 1,500 career points in 135 games at Middle Tennessee. In his one season with the Tigers, he started 31 of 35 games and averaged 9.6 points per game. He shot 34.8% from three and lit up Notre Dame for a season-high 26 points on January 10, 2026, per Clemson Wire.
Now Porter will get his shot with Memphis in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. "I came to Clemson to prove I could compete at the highest level of college basketball," Porter said. "Joining the Grizzlies is the next step in proving I belong in the league." NBA scouts see him as a potential "3-and-D" guard — a player who can shoot threes and play tough defense.
Chase Hunter Caps Six-Year Clemson Run with Warriors Invite
Hunter is Clemson's iron man. He played 167 games and logged 4,576 minutes as a Tiger — both remarkable totals. He finished with 1,789 career points and averaged 16.5 points per game in his senior year. During the 2024 Elite Eight run, he led Clemson with 17.8 points per game, according to Sports Illustrated.
After going undrafted in 2025, Hunter spent last season with the G-League's Laketown Squadron, averaging 7.8 points per game. Now he's back for another Summer League shot with Golden State. The Warriors face the Lakers on July 3 and the Mavericks on July 9. "My journey wasn't a straight line," Hunter told The Athletic. "I'm ready to contribute to the Warriors' system."
Schieffelin's Football Detour Ends with Miami Heat Signing
Ian Schieffelin's path may be the most unusual of the three. He paused pro basketball to play tight end for the Clemson football team in 2025. Then he came back to basketball and had the best statistical season of his college career: 12.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. He won ACC Most Improved Player and made the All-ACC Second Team, The Clemson Insider reported.
The Miami Heat signed him for the 2026 Summer League. He opens July 3 against the San Antonio Spurs in San Francisco, then heads to Las Vegas to face the Orlando Magic. "The year on the gridiron gave me a level of physicality that helps me on the glass," Schieffelin said. "The Heat culture is about grit, and that's what I bring," per Rubbing the Rock.
What This Trio Means for Clemson's Pro Pipeline
Clemson coach Brad Brownell now has three distinct recruiting pitches. There is the transfer portal path Porter took, the long-term development path Hunter followed, and Schieffelin's dual-sport route. All three end at the same place: the NBA stage. That is a powerful message for future recruits considering the Tigers.
Summer League is more than a showcase. It is a financial crossroads. A strong run in Las Vegas can mean a two-way NBA contract worth around $500,000. A weak one often means an overseas deal for a fraction of that. For Porter, Hunter, and Schieffelin, the next few weeks could define the next several years of their careers, according to Fox Carolina.
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