After 134 games in a Clemson basketball jersey, power forward Ian Schieffelin is changing uniforms. But not schools.
Schieffelin announced Friday he has taken Tigers football coach Dabo Swinney up on his offer to play tight end on his team.
The 6-foot-8 Schieffelin posted a photo on Instagram that showed him clad half in a basketball jersey, half in a football one, with the caption, “Next chapter.”
He wasn’t a major NBA draft prospect — an overseas team or the G League was more likely — so he decided to see where football could take him.
“I’ve been just training for basketball, getting ready for the next level,” Schieffelin told ESPN. “Dabo just walked me through the opportunity he was willing to give me, and it all sounded great, something I wanted to jump on. It really just sparked my interest in wanting to try, and being able to put on a Clemson jersey again was very enticing to me. To be able to be coached by Dabo and (tight ends coach Kyle) Richardson is just a huge opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”
For the Tigers in 2024-25, Schieffelin averaged 12.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game last season. He started all 70 games he played in over the past two seasons.
“I’d never rule out me going back to basketball,” Schieffelin said. “I’ll see how these next six months go, see how development goes, see if I really like playing football. But I think this is a good opportunity for the next six months.”
Most famously, Antonio Gates transitioned from playing basketball at Kent State to becoming a Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end for the San Diego Chargers. Schieffelin told ESPN he spoke with Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo-Alie Cox, who played four seasons of basketball at VCU, about the opportunity.
Swinney apparently has thought about the idea for a while. In a news conference in the fall that coincided with the start of the college basketball season, he was asked whether Schieffelin could play football — a sport Schieffelin gave up early in high school. The answer was an enthusiastic yes.
“He could play tight end, D-end. He could play whatever he wanted to play. He’d be an unbelievable left tackle,” Swinney said. “I’ll definitely have a spot. We have a lot of rev share ready too if he wants to pass up wherever he’s going (after basketball).”
Schieffelin is in training and excited to see what the future holds.
“Maybe I’ll be really good, maybe I’ll be really bad. It’s something that was worth a shot. And being able to put a Clemson jersey on again is really special to me, and to do it this time in Death Valley is going to be amazing.”
–Field Level Media
