CLEMSON – R.J. Godfrey chose Clemson over other college basketball programs twice. And, if given the chance, the former Tigers forward says he would do it again.

Godfrey, a Suwanee, Ga., native, played his first two collegiate seasons at Clemson before transferring home to Georgia for his junior year. He then returned to the Upstate of South Carolina for his senior season, leading the Tigers to a third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

Now, with four college seasons behind him, Godfrey is focused on the next phase of his career, while reflecting on his last several years playing at Clemson under head coach Brad Brownell.

“I would just say, focus on what’s in front of you, not what’s ahead, not what’s behind,” Godfrey recently told The Clemson Insider when asked what advice he would give his freshman-year self. “Just focus on the present.”

Ironically, Godfrey now finds his current self as the beneficiary of the same advice, as uncertainty surrounding NCAA eligibility rules has left many players from his graduating class in limbo. 

For a few weeks, it seemed possible that Godfrey, as well as multiple other veteran Tiger players, could receive another year of eligibility after the NCAA announced plans to move forward with a proposed “five-in-five rule.” The regulation will allow athletes to compete at the collegiate level for five years following their high school graduation or 19th birthday.

Players like Godfrey, as well as Clemson teammates Dillon Hunter and Nick Davidson, who also played four years of college basketball, stood to benefit from this rule, if they were grandfathered into the new clause for a fifth year.

“There was about two weeks there where I was praying like, ‘Man, I want one more shot for the Tiger family,” Godfrey said. “These guys, this fan base, deserves a national championship. And when I heard that we could probably get retrograded in and grandfathered in, man, I was so excited.”

However, on April 27, a few weeks after the proposed rule picked up national support and coverage, the NCAA President Charlie Baker reportedly said 2025-’26 seniors would not be eligible for an additional year. 

In the meantime, Brownell and his new staff signed former Notre Dame guard Cole Certa, power forward Dylan Faulkner from Samford, and a shooting forward from TCU named Liutauras Lelevicius, shortly before the NCAA’s decision was made public. Clemson is expected to sign one more post-player, signifying they do not expect Godfrey to be back.

Godfrey and other true seniors came narrowly short of qualifying for the COVID-19 waiver, which was introduced in 2021 and gave four different classes an extra year of eligibility if their seasons were affected by the 2020 Pandemic.

Now, if legislation is passed for the five-in-five rule, Godfrey’s class would be the last not to receive a fifth year– snared in between two rapidly changing eras and ever-changing rules.

“This is my least favorite part about being a collegiate athlete, hearing about this five-in-five, and there’s a really high chance we don’t get it,” Godfrey said. “Seeing all the classes before us, up to 2017, get a fifth year, and you know, we don’t get one, and every class after this gets one — it’s crazy. 

“College sports is flimsy right now, and the organizational pieces of college are not the best. I’m not shaming it or anything, but it’s crazy.”

Godfrey admitted that the news, after the initial excitement of returning for a year, stung. The forward said he was sad for a “couple of hours,” when he found out he would most likely be done as a Tiger.

Quickly, though, he fell back on the advice he would tell his freshman year self — stay focused on the present.

When Godfrey came to Clemson in 2022, transfer rules, eligibility expirations, and NIL revenue sharing looked entirely different than they do heading into the 2026-’27 season. Still, he is focusing on what is directly ahead of him.

“It’s a crazy time, and I know there’s a lot of chaos going on, but you know, I’m focused on what’s next for me, pro-wise,” he said. “I’m doing some workouts right now with some different teams coming up soon, and I’m working out with my agency right now. So I’m just trying to get better every day.

“That’s why I came to Clemson, so I can get a degree, become a better man and become an NBA player. So I’m shooting to accomplish my dreams of one day being an NBA champion.”

The veteran, standing 6-foot-7, has several workouts scheduled with professional teams ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft in June, and will spend a few days working out in Clemson before traveling to California to train with his agency.

Even as he focuses ahead, looking to his professional future, Godfrey still had a message for players considering coming to Clemson, maybe even some future five-in-five beneficiaries.

“The theme will be, you’re gonna love it here,” Godfrey said to hypothetical transfers. “You love the outdoors? This place is the perfect place. You love community? These are the nicest people you’ll ever meet. So I’d probably just tell any transfer, man, this will be the best, one of the best decisions you make, to come to Clemson.”

And while Godfrey may not benefit from the five-in-five rule, he made the most of his four years at Clemson with two trips to the NCAA Tournament, one Elite Eight appearance in 2024, and leading the Tigers for his final year with 12 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

Though he may be focused on what is in his future, Godfrey made it clear– he would have chosen the Tigers again and again.