Clemson men’s basketball coach Brad Brownell has coached plenty of teams in his 16 seasons leading the Tigers — but this one, he says, feels new in every way.
After another successful season and a roster reshaped through the transfer portal, Brownell is embracing what he calls the challenge and joy of rediscovery — building chemistry, trust, and a new team identity from the ground up.
“You’ve got to do a lot of work,” Brownell said at ACC Tipoff. “You have to have a great staff — I do. My assistant coaches are fantastic. The continuity we’ve had these last several years has really helped us.”
With returning mainstays like Dillon Hunter and RJ Godfrey, plus several key additions from the portal, Clemson enters the 2025 season balancing experience with new energy. For Brownell, the process starts with communication — being clear about expectations while understanding the dreams of each player.
“We’re very honest and open in our recruitment,” he explained. “We make sure guys come in understanding our expectations, and then we find out what their goals are and how we can help.”
That transparency, he said, lays the foundation for something deeper — relationships.
“It takes time,” Brownell continued. “You’ve got to build relationships. That’s what coaching is now. I spend much more time with players individually than I did in year one. You just have to do those kinds of things.”
Brownell also emphasized the importance of connection away from the gym. He wants players investing in each other beyond Littlejohn Coliseum, forging bonds that translate into toughness and trust on the court.
“Teams that do that have a greater chance of being successful,” he said. “Then as a staff, it’s about blending all these different skill sets into one that can win — and adapting year to year.”
For Brownell, this evolution isn’t a rebuild — it’s a renewal. A new mix of talent, leadership, and continuity ready to make Clemson basketball’s next statement on the national stage.