Clemson adds transfer forward from UNC-Asheville

Clemson has filled one of its open basketball scholarships with the transfer of UNC-Asheville forward Jonathan Baehre.

Baehre, a Germany native, played significant minutes off the bench for the Bulldogs last season and posted 7.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game as a sophomore. He will be required to sit out one year and has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

He had a good second half of the 2017-2018 season which culminated with a 28-point, 14-rebound, 5-block effort in a 4OT loss to Southern Cal in the NIT.

What Clemson gets:

Baehre is an intriguing player that looks good on film. He is a prototypical stretch 4 that was a very efficient offensively in 2017-2018, shooting 64% from 2 (66th nationally) and a competent 36% from 3. At 6’9” and just 205 pounds, obviously physicality is not a strong suit, but his length and quick leaping ability made him a good offensive rebounder and the 37th best per-possession shot-blocker in the nation.

Baehre is a useful offensive player in addition to his scoring efficiency because of his mobility and ability to handle the ball. He could probably even run at the small forward position if needed, but he most certainly fits best as a stretch 4.

Defensively, he provides a great off-ball shot-blocker and a quality pick-and-roll defender. He can definitely be bullied in the post by stronger players, so he will be better suited on the defensive end against teams that play more of a 4-around-1 style.

Presumably Aamir Simms will be firmly entrenched as Clemson’s starting power forward by the time 2019-2020 rolls around, so it’s likely that Baehre will provide the Tigers with a high-quality bench player when he regains eligibility.

This isn’t a high-profile pickup by any means, but it appears to be a quality one based on the limited film available. The best comparison I can draw for Baehre at the moment is a poor man’s Donte Grantham. He could certainly develop into more, as his upside seems relatively high. Clemson now has two open scholarships remaining and would be well served to fill at least one of those with a graduate transfer to bolster their depth for the upcoming season.