CLEMSON -- They're getting more nervous inside Clemson's basketball offices.
PJ Hall, the Tigers' franchise player who was initially considered an extreme long shot to leave for the NBA, made an impressive showing at the NBA's G League Elite Camp over the weekend.
Impressive enough for Hall to be invited to this week's NBA Draft Combine, which begins today.
Exactly a week ago, we reported that Hall was not a slam dunk to return but that the odds still strongly favored him coming back to Clemson for the 2023-24 season.
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At the time one contact with the program guessed that the odds were somewhere around 80-20 in favor of him returning.
But the source did add a caveat: Hall is fully healthy for the first time in a long time, and the bet was that he'd impress the NBA folks at the G League Elite Camp.
That's what happened as Hall made a strong impression from the start in Chicago, showing an all-around game that earned him one of the 78 spots at this week's draft combine.
Former Tiger Hunter Tyson was also invited to this week's combine. The two-round NBA Draft will take place June 22, with a total of 58 selections.
Hall declared for the draft without signing with an agent, thereby preserving his ability to return to school if he chooses. The deadline to withdraw from the draft is May 31.
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While a lot of Hall's decision will be based on what happens this week, at this point here's a rough sketch of his options:
-- Return to school in hopes of possibly being a late first-round pick next year;
-- Enter the draft and possibly get picked late in the second round;
-- Enter the draft and, if not selected, sign a two-way contract with a league team. This option allows developing players to simultaneously fill a roster spot on both an NBA team and its G-league affiliate. Each NBA team can have two players on this type of contract.
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Undoubtedly Clemson will do everything it can to sweeten Hall's NIL deal if he does return. But at this point Brad Brownell, the staff and players just wait and nervously watch.
Several of the program's big transactional decisions this offseason were made on the assumption that Hall would return.
Ben Middlebrooks put his name in the transfer portal, eventually landing at N.C. State, because he didn't want his minutes diminished by sitting behind Hall.
And Brownell's pursuit of UNC Greensboro transfer Bas Leyte was based on the idea of finding someone who'd be suited to the reduced minutes that come with playing the same position as Hall.
In short: If you know Hall is a serious threat to leave for the NBA, you devote a lot more time and energy into pursuing more high-profile transfer targets in the low post.
A year ago at this time, the return of Hall and Tyson created optimism that Clemson would be a force in the ACC and reach the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers checked that first box for much of the season but fell short of the latter aspiration in part because of a down year in the conference.
Even after the embarrassing home loss to Morehead State in the first round of the NIT, the staff's portal acquisitions -- most notably the coup of landing Syracuse scorer Joe Girard -- produced a lift with Brownell preparing for his 14th season.
But most of the good feelings about next season are tied to the guy who's currently auditioning for NBA scouts.
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Back in March, before he announced his decision to test the NBA waters, this is what Hall said about his future:
“Obviously I love Clemson. I would love to be back here as of now if that’s what God has in store for me for sure. I don’t see anything crazy happening. I definitely would love to be playing next year, but we’d have to see.”
Of course everyone in the program wants nothing but the best for Hall in the future.
But everyone also knows his departure would be a devastating blow.
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