CLEMSON — Clemson basketball star Dillon Hunter appears to be interested in returning to college to play one more year of college basketball, thanks to Judge Charlotte Sweeney of the U.S. District Court of Colorado.
On Friday, Judge Sweeney granted a class-wide preliminary injunction to athletes in the high school class of 2022, thus giving them an extra year of eligibility in college.
Hunter, who thought his college basketball career was over, signed a contract with Eisbären Bremerhaven, a German professional team, just two weeks before the ruling was announced. However on Saturday, the senior announced he will put his name in the transfer portal when it opens, according to On3 Sports.
Hunter’s decision to go in the portal does not mean he is leaving Clemson, though. It just means he is opening up his options. Clemson had already moved on without Hunter for the 2026-’27 season for obvious reasons.
Part of Sweeney’s injunction takes away limited roster sizes, giving eligible athletes an opportunity to either return to their old school or enter the transfer portal and go elsewhere. The transfer portal is expected to open Aug. 3-10 for athletes that are impacted by the ruling.
The Clemson Insider spoke with someone with close knowledge of the situation in the men’s program and asked what the ruling could mean for Hunter’s and R.J. Godfrey’s return to Clemson for one more season. At this time, with the team in Italy playing exhibition games, including Saturday’s win over Pro Camp in Florence, Italy, TCI was told the Clemson’s coaches are aware of what is taking place in the states and they are working through what it all means and obviously no decisions have been made on anything.
The Tigers still have one more game to play in Italy before returning to Clemson on Aug. 6.
Hunter just finished his fourth season with the Tigers, making 35 starts and leading the Tigers on both offense and defense. He shot 34 percent from three-point range last season and averaged 7.5 points per game. In his four years at Clemson, thus far, Hunter has helped lead the program to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including an Elite Eight run in 2024.