Mailbag insider: Brownell to Indiana update, life without Dillon Hunter

Brad Brownell and the Tigers will miss Dillon Hunter's presence on the court.

Grayson Mann - Staff Writer - Tuesday, March 18 2025

You have plenty of questions, and we have plenty of answers.

There is so much that we could break this series up into multiple parts, each focused on a different sport.

Given the eyes on basketball, it felt right to get the ball rolling on that front, with some spring practice and recruiting questions to be answered soon after.

We have six good topics to dive into, ranging from Brad Brownell’s status to portal additions as the season concludes.

Let’s get to it.

Tigersense - Any Brownell chatter or rumors

I figured this would be at the top of everyone’s mind, and it has continued to gain national attention.

Brownell is certainly trending as one of Indiana’s preferred candidates, if not the top guy in their eyes.

Certainly, Brownell has picked up plenty of momentum that has surged alongside Clemson’s rising star power in college hoops.

Before the ACC Tournament, he was able to shed some light on where he stands, making it lightly any type of decision, if there’s one to be made, will be after the postseason.

“I have a great job, and I'm a hundred percent focused on this team and what we've got ahead of us,” Brownell said. “I will try and do everything I can to help us continue to win the next game.”

If you want my personal spin on things, I just don’t see a change. Brownell probably should see what Indiana is willing to offer, but he’s finally built a formula that isn’t going anywhere soon. Had this season not panned out the way it did, making last year’s Elite Eight run look more like a flash in the pan than anything truly sustainable, I’d feel like the option would be more enticing.

Keep an eye on Ben McCollum from Drake. Not only does his squad ooze potential for a deep run this tournament, but he also feels like someone who could snag the job, and he hasn’t been shy in shutting those rumors down.

Then again, we will find out pretty soon, and plenty of rumors will float as Clemson begins its run. Still, nothing will be finalized until after the tournament.

kctigs81 - I know Dillon Hunter broke his hand, but is there any chance he plays if we make a deep run in the tourney?

I wouldn’t count on it.

Things could be different if Hunter had broken his hand in late February/early March. I won’t try to act like a doctor, but given that the Sweet Sixteen is under two weeks from tipping off, it will move at a lightning pace.

If the Tigers were to reach the Final Four…maybe there’s a small shot? It is tough for someone to speedrun a recovery on a broken hand, essentially rushing back Hunter in the process and disrupting whatever rhythm this offense has built in his absence.

So, to answer your question, no. Clemson will have to do this without Hunter, which will be incredibly difficult to navigate.

JudgeKeller - Any additional details from the ACC Tournament locker room fallout?

We spoke to Brownell Sunday, who said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips reached out to apologize on behalf of the conference.

He added that he spoke to a few representatives who worked at the tournament, and said he had some “choice words” for how everything went down.

There seemingly hasn’t been anything official from the conference or from any tournament reps, which remains strange. Still, it is puzzling how it all went down, but Brownell wanted to turn the page to more positive things, which is the task of playing McNeese.

NCTigs - What have you heard about Jaeden Zackery getting another season with the new rule, with Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, who started at Junior College, getting another season of eligibility? Zackery started at Chipola JC in Florida.

This will be a fascinating angle to dive into once the tournament closes.

Zackery’s situation is unique, as you’ve illustrated in your question. In terms of what we’ve heard, well, not much.

The waiver claims that have been brought to light with Diego Pavia’s situation are interesting. His claim states that his eligibility clock starting in junior college violated anti-trust laws, which prevented Pavia from making the most of his NIL benefits.

Like Pavia, Zackery spent time in junior college and could follow the same path, which would grant him another season at Clemson if he so chooses. Unless Zackery wants to head to the pros, which seems unlikely if there’s another year in his back pocket, coming back for a final year seems reasonable.

JStone D239 - How many spots will Brownell have for portal recruits this off-season?

JStone had questions that apply for both Clemson Football and Basketball, so, we will stick with hoops to stay consistent.

The number of spots for the portal also depends on whether Zackery returns. You can now count on departures from Viktor Lakhin, Chase Hunter, and Ian Schieffelin. That alone is three starters, who are your top three scorers.

Dillon Hunter will be in your starting five next year, pending any crazy portal moves that would undoubtedly shock us. Regardless, Brownell will have to tap into the transfer portal, which he’s built a track record of grabbing serious contributors from that realm of college sports.

He can do it, but if I had to guess, my over/under for portal players is set at 3.5.

TonyCrumpton - What is your Final four prediction?

Crumpton cameos.

I like Florida to win the whole thing. Besides Duke, the Gators feel like the hottest team in the country and just rolled through a gauntlet of an SEC Tournament with ease at times.

Given their path to San Antonio, Michigan State meets them there, with Tom Izzo returning to such a legendary spot to face an uber-talented Gators squad.

Duke keeps rolling to the Final Four, taking down VCU and Jack Clark in the Elite Eight as my favorite double-digit seed to make a deep run. They will meet Tennessee on the other end, which overwhelms Clemson in the Elite Eight on that side of the bracket.

In the end, Give me the Gators over Cooper Flagg in the Blue Devils in the National Championship.