Ian Schieffelin leaving hopes of playing professional basketball open after joining Clemson football

New Clemson Tigers tight end Ian Schieffelin has quickly become one of the most interesting players on the team. That’s in no small part because he made the jump from the Clemson basketball team to the football team ahead of the season.

With his first football season just around the corner, Schieffelin explained that it was difficult to step away from basketball. He still loves the sport, and even though his focus is now on football, Schieffelin still wants to leave the door open to potentially play professional basketball at some point in his future.

“Yeah, it was tough,” Ian Schieffelin said. “It was one of those decisions that — you know, I really enjoy basketball. It was my first love as a sport. That’s why I gravitated toward it in high school. It’s hard, but I know it’s not over, if that makes sense.”

Ian Schieffelin spent four seasons on the Clemson basketball team, using up his eligibility. While on the basketball team, he’d average 8.0 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game for his career. Notably, his scoring totals did continue to increase year after year with the Tigers. With that, there had been some thought about going pro following last season. However, the NBA appeared to be a long shot, and international options were most likely where Schieffelin would end up.

Head coach Dabo Swinney would give Ian Schieffelin another option. He could also join the Clemson football team, which he ultimately decided to try out. Now, that’s his focus, even if there’s still that love of basketball.

“I keep telling myself, hopefully I can figure out some of this football stuff. Maybe, long-term, have a decent career in the NFL, wherever. Maybe my body has got two, four more years left,” Schieffelin said. “And try to pick up basketball again and go overseas. It’s always on the back burner. I’ll say that.”

With Clemson, Schieffelin is going to play tight end. He’s not the first basketball star to make the move to tight end, with Antonio Gates being the most famous example of it working out. Swinney would love to get that kind of performance. Regardless, it’s going to be interesting to see where he’s at with his development as a football player.

Dabo Swinney on Ian Schieffelin joining Clemson

Dabo Swinney is clearly excited for what Ian Schieffelin can provide Clemson. In particular, at the ACC Spring Meetings, Swinney praised how his size and skills translate.

“I haven’t seen him yet but, I’m just going to tell you. He’s gonna to be massive. He’s gonna go from just a solid-looking guy on the basketball court to, to an elite-looking football player…I think he can spend these next six, seven, eight months, you know, really building a foundation to football technically, fundamentally, mentally, you know, just knowledge-wise. And, I think he can really set him(self) up,” Swinney said.

“I really think all of the characteristics translate. You think about a guy that’s been high-pointing the ball with collision balance against other six-seven, seven-footers? Now, all of a sudden, he’s high-pointing the ball against six-three guys, you know. You think about a guy who’s has spent the last however many years moving his feet staying in front of people and now he can do that in pass protection but he can knock the crap out of them, he can use his hands and they don’t throw a penalty or blow a whistle, right. And he doesn’t have to just go set a screen. He can go smash a dude. And, instead of getting a guy open for a jump shot, he’s opening up a running lane for the running back. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun to coach him. We’ll see how it all plays out.”