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A Court-Side Story: Ian Schieffelin's Unprecedented Leap from Hoops to Huddles

Related Topics: Dabo Swinney

Former Clemson basketball star Ian Schieffelin traded his sneakers for cleats, making a stunning switch to the Tigers' football team.

2025 Clemson Football Camp | Katie Januck/GettyImages

Dabo Swinney has a way with words. He's a master motivator, a charismatic preacher of the gridiron gospel. But even for a man who has perfected the art of the verbal flourish, his recruiting pitch to a potential player this summer was... unique.

"You can go play in, like, Afghanistan," Swinney told him, "or somewhere you can come be here.