A Fitting Tribute to Clemson’s Ian Schieffelin and Chase Hunter: Loyalty, Development, and Lasting Legacy
As the Clemson Tigers prepare to close out their 2024-25 regular season home slate with their final two games at Littlejohn Coliseum—against Stanford on March 8 and Wake Forest on March 11—two names stand out not just for their on-court contributions but for what they represent in an era of fleeting commitments in college basketball: Ian Schieffelin and Chase Hunter. These fifth-year seniors have embodied loyalty, growth, and resilience, leaving an indelible mark on the Clemson program as they approach their last hurrah in front of the Tiger faithful.
The Rarity of Staying the Course
In today’s college basketball landscape, where the transfer portal and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities have turned rosters into revolving doors, Schieffelin and Hunter are anomalies. The average tenure for a Division I player is increasingly truncated, with many opting to chase greener pastures after a season or two. Yet, Schieffelin and Hunter have spent their entire collegiate careers—five years each—at Clemson, a testament to their belief in coach Brad Brownell’s vision and their commitment to the program that took a chance on them.
Schieffelin arrived in 2021 as a three-star recruit from Grayson, Georgia, ranked outside the top 200 nationally. Hunter, a four-star prospect from Atlanta, joined in 2019, bringing slightly higher expectations but still needing to prove himself. Neither was a can’t-miss, one-and-done talent destined for the NBA spotlight out of high school. Instead, they chose the long road, staying through ups and downs, injuries, and the grind of development. That loyalty is rare when players like Cooper Flagg or Jared McCain often dominate headlines with one-year stints at blue-blood programs before bolting to the pros.
Chase Hunter: The Steady Hand Who Rose to Greatness
Chase Hunter’s journey at Clemson began with adversity. A foot injury limited him to just nine games as a freshman in 2019-20, earning him a medical redshirt. Over the next four years, he evolved from a role player into the heartbeat of the Tigers. By his fifth season in 2023-24, Hunter was a starter, averaging 12.9 points and 3.2 assists, and his postseason heroics—17.8 points per game on 50% shooting during Clemson’s Elite Eight run—cemented his status as a clutch performer. This year, as a sixth-year graduate student, he’s continued to lead, averaging around 14 points per game (stats approximate as of early March 2025) and providing veteran poise.
Hunter’s impact transcends numbers. His decision to return for a sixth year after testing the NBA Draft waters in 2024 signaled stability for a program losing stars like PJ Hall and Joseph Girard III. Paired with his younger brother, Dillon, on the roster, Hunter became a bridge between Clemson’s past and future. His growth from a 5.3-point-per-game freshman to an All-West Region honoree in the 2024 NCAA Tournament mirrors the program’s ascent under Brownell. In an era where guards often transfer for bigger roles or NIL deals, Hunter’s loyalty has given Clemson a reliable leader, culminating in a career that saw him surpass Horace Grant on the Tigers’ all-time scoring list in March 2025.
Ian Schieffelin: The Relentless Heart of the Tigers
Ian Schieffelin’s story is one of transformation. Arriving as a multi-sport athlete with raw potential, he averaged just 2.5 points and 2.7 rebounds as a freshman in 2021-22. But by his junior year, he’d become the ACC’s Most Improved Player, posting 10.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game en route to the Elite Eight. This season, Schieffelin has elevated further, averaging a double-double (around 13 points and 11 rebounds as of early March 2025) and earning national recognition, like the USBWA Oscar Robertson Player of the Week award in December 2024. His career-high 24 points against Notre Dame in February 2025 pushed him past Elden Campbell on Clemson’s all-time rebounding list, a fitting milestone for a player defined by hustle.
Schieffelin’s tenacity has redefined Clemson’s frontcourt identity. With Hall’s departure to the NBA, he stepped into the void, becoming a rebounding machine—his 20-rebound game against Kentucky in December 2024 is a program highlight—and a versatile passer (3+ assists per game). His choice to stay, despite modest beginnings and the lure of transfer options, has paid dividends, making him one of only two Tigers since 2008-09 to notch double-digit double-doubles in a season. In a sport where big men often chase quicker paths to prominence, Schieffelin’s development into an ACC star underscores the value of patience and trust in a system.
Impact on the Program
Together, Hunter and Schieffelin have propelled Clemson to new heights. The 2023-24 Elite Eight run—the program’s first since 1980—was a collective triumph, but their fingerprints were all over it. Hunter’s scoring outbursts and Schieffelin’s rebounding dominance powered wins over New Mexico, Baylor, and Arizona. This season, with a 23-5 record and 15-2 ACC mark as of late February 2025, Clemson has set a program record for conference wins, a feat unimaginable without their leadership. They’ve helped Brownell achieve back-to-back NCAA Tournament bids for the first time in his 15-year tenure, elevating Clemson from an ACC afterthought to a national contender.
Their loyalty has also fostered a culture of continuity. In an age where roster turnover disrupts chemistry, Hunter and Schieffelin have been constants, mentoring younger players like Chauncey Wiggins and Viktor Lakhin while setting a standard of work ethic and resilience. Their presence has made Clemson a destination for transfers like Jaeden Zackery, who see a program built on trust rather than transactional promises.
A Farewell to Legends
As they take the court for their final home games, Schieffelin and Hunter deserve more than applause—they deserve recognition as throwbacks to a bygone era. They stayed when leaving was easier, grew when stagnating was an option, and delivered when the stakes were highest. Their legacies will echo in Clemson record books, but more importantly, in the program’s identity as a place where commitment still matters.
On March 8 against Stanford and March 11 against Wake Forest, Littlejohn Coliseum will roar for two players who chose Clemson—and who Clemson will never forget. In a sport increasingly defined by transience, Ian Schieffelin and Chase Hunter are rare gems, proof that loyalty and development can still forge greatness.
