Coming home: Familiar face returns to Clemson basketball as a transfer
RJ Godfrey is back.
The former Clemson forward is transferring back to his old school after one season at Georgia, according to reports from On3 Sports and 247Sports.
Godfrey played two seasons at Clemson from 2022-23 before entering the portal in a surprise move last offseason and committing to Georgia, where his father had been a standout linebacker for the Bulldogs in the 1990s.
He started every game for a UGA team that made the NCAA Tournament but had similar stats to his final season at Clemson and entered the portal earlier this week.
Now Godfrey has returned to play for his old school and his old coach, Brad Brownell, as the Tigers’ third portal addition of the cycle. Former Nevada forward Nick Davidson committed on Wednesday, and former Utah Valley forward Carter Welling committed earlier Friday, giving Clemson a retooled front-court.
All three players ranked among the top 150 available in the portal.
Godfrey had appeared in all 36 games during Clemson’s Elite Eight run in 2024, averaging 15.6 minutes and 6.1 points per game off the bench. He had a number of big moments down the stretch, including clutch free throws in a win vs. Baylor.
Godfrey also expressed his excitement for his junior year at Clemson in the locker room immediately following the Tigers’ regional final loss to Alabama.
Following Godfrey’s transfer, Brownell said he didn’t want to get into any specifics on why certain players left but admitted he was “surprised some more than others.”
At Georgia, Godfrey (6-foot-8, 230 pounds) was an every-game starter in the SEC but only played about five more minutes per game. He put up 6.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game for UGA, which made the NCAA Tournament as a No. 9 seed.
With Godfrey’s commitment, Clemson is up to nine scholarship players on next year’s roster. The Tigers will continue to work the portal for more players. A potential starter and/or depth at the guard position is a lingering need.
The Tigers went 27-7 this season, setting school records for total wins and ACC wins, before getting upset by McNeese State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Clemson basketball 2025 roster outlook
Among scholarship players
- Out of eligibility (5): G Chase Hunter, G Jaeden Zackery (looking into a JUCO waiver but unlikely to return), F Ian Schieffelin, F Myles Foster, F Viktor Lakhin
- Transferring out (5): G Del Jones, F Asa Thomas, F Chauncey Wiggins (Florida State), G Jake Heidbreder, C Christian Reeves
- Transferring in (3): F Nick Davidson (Nevada), F Carter Welling (Utah Valley), F RJ Godfrey (Georgia)
- Returning to team (3): G Dillon Hunter, G Ace Buckner, F Dallas Thomas
- Incoming freshmen (3): G Zac Foster, F Chase Thompson, C Trent Steinour
This story was originally published April 4, 2025 at 11:24 AM.
