Clemson’s trip to Italy is almost here, but Brad Brownell is heading overseas with a rotation that’s been thinned by injuries.
The Tigers leave next week for a 10-day stretch abroad, where they’ll play three games against foreign opponents. Every player is making the trip, but Brownell said the group he’ll have available on the floor could be short-handed when the games begin.
“We probably need to hurry up and get on the trip, or some of the assistants are going to be playing,” Brownell joked. “So, that part’s been a little challenging this summer, for sure.”
The biggest hits to Clemson’s frontcourt are Samford transfer Dylan Faulkner and true freshman Will Stevens, neither of whom is expected to play in Italy. Faulkner is dealing with a toe injury that has kept him out, while Stevens picked up a recent injury during summer workouts.
“I think Will Stevens sprained his ankle this week,” he said. “He might be able to play, I don’t know, but we’re going backwards.”
Brownell said the rotation is “down to about nine” for the trip, and Stevens would only factor in if Clemson needs another body for depth.
There are also three Tigers coming off injuries from last season. Center Carter Welling and guard Zac Foster both suffered season-ending injuries during the 2025-26 season, though at different points.
Foster tore his ACL in December, and Brownell had hoped to have him back before the season. There had been optimism earlier this summer that he could return by opening night, but Italy now appears unlikely.
Welling is recovering from the same injury after tearing his ACL in the ACC Tournament in March. His timetable points to a late-fall, maybe early-winter, return.
Ace Buckner is the other player working back. He dealt with a shoulder injury that forced him to play through pain in the final games of the season, and Brownell said the recovery is moving in the right direction.
“He’s doing well. His shoulder is healing nicely,” he said. “He’s starting to do a little bit of one-on-one work, a little bit of five-on-five work with our guys.”
Even while sidelined, Buckner has stayed involved as a voice for the team.
“Ace, even from the side, has been the one constant of trying to encourage, challenge, make guys understand you can compete a little harder,” Brownell said. “So, you can tell that he’s going to be a leader on this team.”
The injuries leave Clemson a little light for now, but the trip also gives the Tigers a chance for new faces to make an impression before the 2026-27 season. With transfers and freshmen in the mix, Brownell’s group will get a valuable look at itself once it gets to Italy.
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