Playing through pain: Not even an injury can stop Clemson’s surging sophomore PJ Hall
Either adrenaline, dedication or a combination of both caused PJ Hall to dive for a loose ball and go crashing into the courtside chairs during Clemson’s game against Florida State on Wednesday night.
As he got up, Tigers fans applauded in relief that the sophomore was OK. Less than a minute later, Hall was at the free throw line and made one to put the Tigers up 65-58 with 8:47 remaining in regulation.
Hall, who missed the final nine minutes of the first half with foul trouble, ended the game with a game-high 15 points to go along with seven rebounds, a block and a steal in 27 minutes played. He’s been lauded for his year-over-year improvement, drawing high praise from legendary Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.
“Hall is the most improved player on the planet, right? He played nine minutes a game last year,” the Blue Devils’ longtime coach said after the Clemson-Duke contest on Jan. 25. “He’s one of the better big guys in the country. He’s a pro, really, because he can shoot, go out, (be) mobile.”
After averaging 3.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in nearly 10 minutes per contest as a freshman, the Spartanburg native leads Clemson in scoring with 14.8 points per outing and blocks (22 total) along with being the team’s second-leading rebounder (6.1) in 28.5 minutes per game this year.
And, he’s done it all with a bad foot.
About six games into the season, Hall began experiencing inflammation between the fourth and fifth metatarsals — the bones that connect the ankle and toes — of his left foot. The injury was at its worst around the time Clemson played Drake on Dec. 11, he said. Ironically, Hall recorded season highs of 22 points and 13 rebounds in around 38 minutes of play as the Tigers won 90-80 in overtime.
“Once I get on the court, I’ve got so much adrenaline going through my body I don’t really feel it in the first half,” Hall said. “Halftime, you cool down a little bit and you feel it but try not to think about it. … It’s not as bad as it may seem, but play through it whenever it hurts bad. If it gets too bad, then rest a little bit the next day but in the game just try not to think about it.”
It certainly wasn’t on his mind when he threw down two dunks in the first five minutes of the second half against the Seminoles. There’s no way to come down from the rim gingerly, as evidenced by the scream Hall let out after the second jam that gave the Tigers a 53-43 lead. Clemson (12-9, 4-6 ACC) went on to win 75-69.
Playing through the pain is something he does for fans and his teammates, he explained.
“Whenever people come to games, I know that someone’s out there coming to watch me, so I go out there and I give my best, give my all because I don’t want someone to get back home disappointed,” he said. “Also, I’m playing for the guy beside me. All these guys, we all have our nooks and crannies that are hurt and cracks in our armor, but we’re fighting for each other and playing for each other.”
Hunter Tyson, in particular, is someone Hall said inspires him to play through the pain. Tyson played with “two purple ankles” for a stretch during the season.
The relationship between Tyson and Hall extends even further back than that as the two worked out together during the offseason. If there’s one person who can attest to how much Hall has grown as a player, it’s the older Tyson, who Tigers head coach Brad Brownell called the leader of the team.
“I’ve just seen how his confidence has grown ever since last year,” Tyson said of his teammate. “This offseason, me and him spent a lot of time in the gym, a lot of time in the weight room just working hard, trying to get better every day. I think it’s showing. He’s done a great job really answering that call when we need to throw it to him in the post. He’s aggressive and he’s confident with the ball. I’m just really happy for him and the season he’s having.”
Hall had to step up even more when Tyson left Wednesday’s game with what was ultimately ruled a broken clavicle that will keep him out indefinitely. Hall, as a result, scored 11 of his 15 in the final 20 minutes, which included three free throws in the final two minutes to keep Florida State at bay.
At this point, Hall’s injury isn’t serious enough to require surgery so the most he can do is physical therapy. The pain level ebbs and flows throughout the season — the Boston College game was another where Hall had a bad flareup — but he keeps going.
Brownell limits his young forward in practice as much as he can. Instead of doing live work, Hall will do either shooting or passing drills and work on the air bike. The level of conditioning is sometimes more rigorous than actually practicing.
“I would much rather be practicing than the stuff I do on the sidelines,” Hall said.
Conditioning can’t replace game reps, though. Brownell tries to keep that in mind when Hall goes into games. Hall doesn’t use it as an excuse, though, but pushes through as he continues to elevate his game and put up stellar, adrenaline-powered performances.
“I have to remember as a coach that, hey, he’s not practicing every day,” Brownell said. “He might get 30 minutes or something like that before a game and that’s about it. It’s not easy on him, but when you’re the best player on a team or the No. 1 option, that’s some of the things you have to deal with.”
This story was originally published February 4, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
