5 most painful Clemson transfer portal departures of all time

RJ Godfrey

It's been years since Tiger Nation experienced the satisfaction of success from Clemson Men’s Basketball that they experienced in 2023-24. The team’s run in the Final Four led to much more positive anticipation for the program moving forward.

With the anticipated exit of PJ Hall to the NBA, it was expected that Godfrey would be a key contributor for the Tigers in 2024-25, with a strong possibility to start.

As such, it was a surprise for the fanbase when Godfrey entered the transfer portal. It was even a bigger shock yesterday when he announced that he was joining Georgia’s program.

The Tigers have a longstanding rivalry with the Bulldogs in football and baseball. They haven’t met as often in basketball, and neither of them is considered a ‘basketball school’.

It doesn’t really matter, though. A Tiger leaving for Georgia just doesn’t sit well. Clemson fans got their first dose of it a few years ago when Derion Kendrick landed in Athens, but he had been dismissed from the Clemson Football program. It's hard to criticize someone for their choice to go to a rival when Clemson was the one who told them it was time to go.

Godfrey was expected to play a key role in 2024-25 but elected to leave anyway. That burns a little.