CLEMSON – Dylan Faulkner was perfectly content to play basketball at Samford University for another year.
The big man, a junior last season, averaged 18 points and 9.5 rebounds per game with the Bulldogs, earning first team All Southern-Conference honors in his lone season in Birmingham, Ala. Before his time at Samford, he saw similar success at Lipscomb University, averaging over 10 points and five rebounds per game.
However, when the transfer portal opened last spring after his more-than-successful season came to a close, Faulkner’s coach brought him in for an honest conversation.
Maybe even unbeknownst to the 6-foot-10 scorer, it was time to leave the mid-major nest.