Big news for the Clemson men’s basketball program.

Veteran guard Dillon Hunter is returning to Clemson for his fifth and final year of eligibility for the 2026–27 season, The Clemson Insider has confirmed.

Despite signing a professional contract in mid-July with a German team, Eisbären Bremerhaven, Hunter decided to take advantage of an extra year of eligibility in college granted to the class of 2022 following recent court rulings and injunctions against the NCAA.

Earlier this summer, a Georgia judge granted a group of college basketball players a preliminary injunction, giving them an extra year of eligibility in college. Each of those players are from the class of 2022, who sued in an attempt to benefit from the NCAA’s newly implemented “5 for 5” rule in effect for 2026, which didn’t cover players from that class.

Per the ruling, as long as Hunter terminates the contract with Eisbären Bremerhaven, he is eligible for a fifth season.

Hunter has played in 134 games during his Clemson career, starting 48 of them. In his career, he has racked up 555 points, 304 rebounds, 250 assists and 90 steals, averaging 4.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.7 steals per contest.

Last season, Hunter started all 35 games, averaging 7.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game, all career-highs. He shot 41.1 percent from the field, 34.7 percent from 3-point range and 78.6 percent from the free-throw line, all career-highs as well.

Hunter fills the last scholarship spot left on Clemson’s roster for the upcoming season and brings valuable experience back to head coach Brad Brownell’s backcourt.