Head coach Brad Brownell and the Clemson men’s basketball program signed a trio of talented players last week, including Josh Beadle from Cardinal Newman High School in Columbia, S.C.
The 6-foot-3, 168-pound combo guard is grateful for his opportunity to attend Clemson as a student-athlete and can’t wait to get started with the Tigers’ basketball team next year.
“It feels good,” Beadle said to The Clemson Insider after signing, “especially knowing that I’m going to school for free.”
Beadle – the sixth-ranked prospect from South Carolina and No. 151 overall prospect in the 2021 class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings – committed to Clemson this past summer.
The bond he has built with Brownell and his coaching staff is a big reason why he wanted to play for Clemson and chose the Tigers over offers from Wake Forest, VCU and a dozen other programs.
“I’ve got a good relationship with the coaches,” Beadle said. “I’m beginning to talk to Coach Brownell a lot. He calls me from time to time. He FaceTimes me. Coach (Antonio Reynolds) Dean, all the other coaches, we talk a lot, and coaching relationship is really good for me. It’s really important.”
Clemson’s staff views Beadle as a versatile guard who could potentially play small forward down the road as well.
“Well first, they want me to get healthy, gain some weight,” said Beadle, who has been dealing with a nagging ankle injury. “I’ve been trying to gain weight lately. And they see me fitting in as point guard and shooting guard. Maybe later on in my career – when I gain weight, get bigger, get stronger – play the three (position) some as well.”
As a junior last season, Beadle averaged 16.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game for Cardinal Newman.
Beadle won back-to-back SCISA Class 3A championships at Cardinal Newman and led the team in scoring last season while eclipsing the 1,000-point mark for his career.
Over the last three seasons, Beadle has shot better than 50 percent from the floor, including 40 percent from 3-point range and over 70 percent from the free-throw line. He is a three-time All-Region and All-State player, while he was also named to several All-Tournament teams and earned multiple All-Star selections.
What can Clemson fans expect to see from Beadle on the court in the future?
“A player that can do all things,” he said. “A player that can create for others. A player who likes to create for others, but who likes to score, who will play hard, play defense and do all the little things to win the games, and a competitor as well.”
After signing with Clemson last Wednesday, Beadle can’t wait to begin his career as a Tiger.
“I’m really looking forward to it a lot because right now, I’m really just past high school,” he said. “I’m working on things that I need for college and ultimately just ready for college and ready to play with these guys.”
Along with Beadle, Clemson signed Wake Forest (N.C.) Heritage guard Lucas Taylor and Loganville (Ga.) Grayson forward Ian Schieffelin last week.
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