Checking In on Clemson Basketball’s Transfer Departures

With the Clemson Tigers riding a nine-game winning streak following an impressive victory over Miami this past Saturday, much of their success can be attributed to their offseason roster construction. The team lost more than 10 players, including five to the transfer portal.

In light of that turnover, it feels like the right time to revisit how those players who transferred out ahead of this season have performed at their new programs.

F Chauncey Wiggins — Florida State

2025 Stats: 8.3 PPG, 2.9 REB, 0.7 AST, 43.8% FG

Wiggins was one of the longest-tenured Tigers among the five players who transferred to other schools, spending his first three years of his career at Clemson.

However, after a disappointing junior season in which he started more than 25 games but failed to take the next step in terms of impact and production, he entered the transfer portal and ultimately chose an ACC foe in Florida State.

The Seminoles are arguably the worst team in the ACC, currently dead last with a 7-11 overall record and a 0-5 conference mark. Wiggins, though, hasn't had a bad individual season, putting up career highs across the board.

Through 17 games played (15 starts), the 6-foot-10 senior is averaging 12 points, four rebounds and one assist.

G Jake Heidbreder — Fresno State

2025 Stats: 4.0 PPG, 1.2 REB, 0.8 AST, 40.4% FG

Heidbreder's stint with Clemson didn't last too long, as he played just one full season with the team.

The 6-foot-5 sharpshooter transferred into the program following two impressive seasons with Air Force, as he averaged a team-high 15 points per game on 49% shooting from the field and 40% from behind the arc in his final season with the team.

In 2023, his first year with the Tigers, Heidbreder opted to redshirt the entire season. He came back last year and started well, combining for 17 points through the first two games. But as Clemson got deeper into the season, his minutes dropped, and he wasn't all that impactful.

Heidbreder entered his name in the portal shortly after the season ended and committed to the Fresno State Bulldogs, where he once again has become dominant at the mid-major level. 

In 18 starts, the marksman is averaging a team-high 17.6 points, two rebounds, three assists and one steal per game. He's currently a top-25 free-throw shooter nationally and averages the fifth-most minutes per game in the country with 36.6.

G Del Jones — Radford

2025 Stats: 3.8 PPG, 1.5 REB, 1.0 AST, 40.3% FG

Jones entered Clemson last year as a part of the 2024 recruiting class, coming in alongside Dallas Thomas and Ace Buckner, who both ended up redshirting last season.

Of the three, Jones received the most recognition, considering the other two opted out of play. But it wasn't just that one reason alone; while his numbers weren't eye-grabbing, it was the poise he played with and his raw talent that caught everyone's attention.

Most thought he would be a key piece of the Tigers' future, but after just one season with the program, he surprisingly decided to hit the portal and chose mid-major program Radford as his next destination.

The true sophomore has been one of the best players on his squad this season, averaging over 30 minutes per contest, and has recorded 16 points, three rebounds and three assists per game through 20 games started. 

G Asa Thomas — Furman 

2025 Stats: 1.2 PPG, 0.2 REB, 0.2 AST, 40.0% FG

Thomas came in as the lone high school recruit of the 2023 class, as head coach Brad Brownell primarily set his sights on the portal that offseason, grabbing four players.

The Illinois native redshirted his entire true freshman season before seeing the hardwood only 12 times last season. 

Entering his redshirt sophomore year, Thomas decided the best option was to part ways with the school and enter the transfer portal, especially with top-65 recruit Zac Foster coming in. 

The 6-foot-8 stretch forward chose to travel just 45 minutes north of Clemson to Furman in Greenville, South Carolina, where he's had a stellar season with the Paladins. 

Through 17 games played, Thomas is averaging 13 points, four rebounds and two assists per game while shooting 40.5% from three-point range. 

C Christian Reeves — Charleston

2025 Stats: 1.2PPG, 1.5 REB, 0.2 AST, 50% FG

Similar to Heidbreder, Reeves joined the Tigers the same way he left them — through the transfer portal.

After spending two seasons at Duke and earning limited playing time, the Charlotte, North Carolina native decided to take his talents to Clemson, where he'd see a similar story unfold.

While he stood as one of the tallest players on the team, Reeves found it challenging to crack the rotation and struggled with early fouls when he did touch the floor. This led him to play only five minutes per game and barely make an impact.

Considering this, Reeves chose to leave the Tigers program and transfer to the Charleston Cougars. Playing primarily in a bench role, the 6-foot-10 center has reached career highs of 7.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.

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