AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. — Grab the basketball, get some sunscreen and wear orange because Clemson Basketball has a trip to a sunny destination planned in 18 months.

Clemson men’s basketball head coach Brad Brownell told The Clemson Insider on Tuesday that the Tigers will be playing in the 2026 Maui Invitational in Hawaii.

“We are and we are excited about that,” Brownell said to TCI during the ACC’s Spring Meetings at the Ritz Carlton on Amelia Island. “That is a big-time tournament. We feel honored to be asked to be a part of it. It should be a really good field.

“We need to get a bunch of fans to go with us. It is really important we have a group of fans there. We need some folks that are going to be wearing orange.”

The Tigers last played in Hawaii on Christmas Day in 2011, when they lost to Hawaii in the Diamond Head Classic.   

Clemson last participated in the Maui Invitational in 1998. The team was in the consolation game against Chaminade, which they won 72-60.

“It should be great. It is funny that my daughters have been getting on me about getting in this tournament for years. But it is not easy to get into, so for us to make it is pretty cool,” Brownell said.

How did Clemson get the invitation to play in the Maui Invitational?

“It’s funny. [Athletic director] Graham [Neff] and I have done some preliminary things behind the scenes,” Brownell said. “Graham had talked to somebody and kind of got somebody to tell him, I think Virginia, was deciding if they were going to play in it.

“So, Graham told them that if they decide to be out, then we are in. The guy said no problem, and then they decided not to play, so we were in.”

Clemson was originally scheduled to play in the 2027 Maui Invitational, but the Tigers, once again, caught a break.

“Something else happened and there ended up being an opening, and they called and said they would love to push us up a year if it works. We said, ‘We will try to make it work,’” Brownell said.