The Mahaffey Legacy continues at Clemson with skilled forward Trent Steinour

With Chase Hunter returning to play a sixth season, Clemson head coach Brad Brownell has a complete roster for the 2024-25 season.

Before Hunter's announcement on May 29, Brownell received the first pledge to the 2025 class on May 23 from Lake Norman High (NC) center Trent Steinour‍ 

Steinour is from a family familiar with Clemson men's basketball. His mom, Lee Mahaffey Steinour, is the daughter of former first-team All-ACC center Randy Mahaffey (1964-67) and, his uncles, the late Tommy Mahaffey (1959-62), Donnie Mahaffey (1961-64), and Richie Mahaffey (1967-70) were also standouts for the Tigers. 

Steinour was offered on May 5, 2023, and chose Clemson over offers from Georgia, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, South Carolina, and others. 

With such a family legacy originating with his great grandfather, Thomas (H.T.), the first of the Mahaffeys from Lagrange, GA to attend Clemson, did Steinour feel any pressure to follow in the footsteps of the previous Tigers? 

"My grandfather and no one in my family wanted to push me," he explained. "They wanted it to all be for me."

Steinour said the family lineage was a factor in his decision but it was the family atmosphere, the coaching staff, and the program that eventually brought him home. 

"I really like Clemson and it feels like family there. I enjoy it," said Steinour. "The fact that my grandfather went there is cool and maybe had something to do with me committing --  but not too much."

"I think Brownell is a great guy. He's good with my family," added Steinour. "Also Coach [Lucas] McKay did a great job recruiting. It's such a great group of people and they will help me in my basketball career."

The program under Brownell is credited with the development of Denver Nuggets forward Hunter Tyson and 2022-23 All-ACC center PJ Hall. Tyson was drafted No. 37 overall by the 2023 NBA champs and had a stellar rookie season for their G-League affiliate team Grand Rapids Gold, averaging 23.8 points and 8 rebounds per game. 

Hall, a 2024 NBA Draft prospect, finished his senior campaign with averages of 18.3 (points), 6.4 (rebounds), and 1.4 (blocks) up from a combined average of 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks as a sophomore and junior. 

Steinour has size, 6'10, shoots with range, and moves well for a post player. He is perfect for what Brownell prefers -- a stretch forward. Tyson and Hall both arrived in the Upstate with similar skills to Steinour, but Hall is the player the Mooresville, NC native is most often compared to by those close to the program. 

"I watched PJ a lot because that was my comparison,'’ said Steinour. “They showed me film of how he came in as a freshman and increased through his junior and senior years. I watched him a lot and how they ran [the offense] through him and Ian Schieffelin. Many plays are run through the big men -- there are many touches."

The Mahaffeys were all post players and all over 6'6 with Donnie being the tallest and heaviest at 6'8, 215 pounds. They each averaged a double-double for at least one season and Randy (16 points, 9.7 rebounds) and Richie (13.6 points, 9.4 rebounds) nearly averaged double-doubles for their careers. 

So which brother does Steinour compare to the most?

"My mom and my mom's mom said that I run the floor and kind of play like my grandfather. They also said I look like him and have some of his genetics."

Steinour posted strong numbers, 15.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 4.3 blocks per game this past season for Lake Norman. He followed that up with a busy summer playing for team CP3 (NC) in the EYBL Tournament in May and this week, for the Houston Rockets in the NBPA Top 100 Camp, which brings together 100 of the top high school basketball players in the country to Orlando, FL. 

On Wednesday night, he scored seven points, grabbed three rebounds, and blocked two shots to help the Rockets defeat the Knicks 120-119 and be crowned the 2024 Top 100 Champions. 

His best game of the tournament was his 15-point, 6-rebound performance in a 106-96 semifinal win over the Indiana Pacers. 

Steinour is currently ranked 13th overall in talent-rich North Carolina, according to 247Sports, and is considered a prospect on the rise in his class. He's aware of his abilities and what analysts are saying but his focus is on improving before he enrolls at Clemson. 

"I think right now I'm able to stretch the floor a little bit, finish in the paint, and block shots but I'll be working on my size, ball handling, and becoming a better shooter as part of my preparation for college basketball."