Clemson's Donte Grantham and Gabe Devoe attend the ACC's Operation Basketball

Clemson senior basketball players Donte Grantham and Gabe DeVoe spent the morning in Charlotte at the ACC's Operation Basketball. Below you will find the transcript of their interviews with the media.

Question: Just what you can say about the team this season, some of the words that would best describe Clemson this year in your opinion.

• Donte Grantham: Young and athletic. I think we've got a lot of young guys who are really excited to play, guys like me and Gabe who's excited to lead the team. Just a lot of young guys with young, athletic, fast, and we're just all excited for the season this year.

Question: Big question from all the Clemson fans: Is this the year you guys can finally make it back to the NCAA?

• Donte Grantham: I think so. I think this is the year we can make it back to the NCAA because, one, we've got great leaders in myself and Gabe, and number two, we've got everybody on the team is all in and dialed into our team. So guys are really working hard, and we're taking it day by day, getting better at the things we need to get better at. Guys are really inspired and really ready for the season to come up.

Question: Obviously you don't replace an athlete like Jaron Blossomgame with point production, but there are leadership qualities that sort of go away. Where is the leadership emerging from this year, and what's that chemistry like?

• Donte Grantham: The leadership is coming from guys like me and Gabe DeVoe, Shelton Mitchell. There's a lot of guys on the team who's really experienced, Mark Donnal, and just having that voice. Jaron had a big voice for us, but me and Gabe, we were very experienced players, played in a lot of games in the ACC and a lot of places in the ACC. Just helping the young guys really develop and stay inspired, staying positive for the whole team.

Question: Tough season last year; what is your outlook on the conference as a whole? What are you expecting from conference play?

• Donte Grantham: I think we've got a nice conference this year, especially the home schedule. We've got guys like Duke, Louisville, North Carolina, Florida State. We've got a lot of good games at home. We're excited about our home schedule, and our fans are excited about our home schedule. I think that's why guys are like really hyped and amped up for the season.

Question: Describe Gabe DeVoe as a teammate; what does he bring to the situation?

• Donte Grantham: Gabe brings an unbelievable energy to our team. No matter if we have practice at 6 a.m. or 6 p.m. his energy to our team is unbelievable. He has a voice, he's experienced, he makes a lot of shots, and he's just a voice that we really need for our team to be good this year.

Question: You guys lost so many close games last season; how do you address that this year, and did that tax you guys last year, really weigh on you heavily, and how are you going to overcome that?

• Donte Grantham: Yeah, it weighed on us heavy last year. We knew that we were in every game last year. We were a great team, just had to figure out a way to close games. But I think this year for us it's just staying dialed in defensively and just because we have a lead doesn't mean we can ease up. So I think that's going to be a big thing for me and Gabe especially being experienced players and experiencing that last year. Just really gotten the team through adversity and really just dialing in defensively.

Question: Earlier this year you explored the possibility of going towards the next level; what did you learn from that experience, and what did they tell you, hey, these are areas of your game that they feel like they needed you to work on?

• Donte Grantham: I learned that, honestly, I learned that I'm a really good player. I can compete with the best players in the nation. I had workouts with the best players in the nation. Honestly, they just want to see me -- what I showed in the workouts, produced this year and the season. Last year I didn't have my best year numbers-wise, so they really wanted me to produce my numbers on paper as I was doing in the workouts because I did really well.

Question: Gabe, tell us about Donte.

• Gabe DeVoe: He's been with me the past four years, roommate for three. Great energy guy for the team, great voice. He's been a starter for four years, so a lot of experience. This year I'm excited for him. I think he'll have a great year shooting the ball, and rebounding-wise, I think he'll be a big key for us.

Question: When your teammate was asked about who you are to the team, he said the voice. You just said the voice back. What you can say about you both being vocal on the team this year and the leadership in this room between the two of you as you get set for the season?

• Gabe DeVoe: Especially with this team having basically six new guys, 24 freshmen and a couple transfers, just helping them out in any way I can, whether it's pulling them aside in practice, bringing them in the gym and get extra shots for them, just being an example for them to follow.

Question: Is this the year that Clemson can get back to the NCAA tournament?

• Gabe DeVoe: I believe so. I think we have a lot of good pieces. I think between Eli in the post and Donte and our guard play, I think we'll have a great year.

Question: Your trip to Spain obviously is well-documented. You all went through what some might call a real-life situation. How did that change you? How did it also change the team? Did it affect the chemistry of the team?

• Gabe DeVoe: Yeah, for me, at the time I didn't realize how big the situation was, but it made me just be grateful for what we do have here. I think it brought the team closer. The whole Spain trip in general, just being able to spend time with the guys all day every day and being able to play games. I think it helped with the chemistry and gave us some good things to look forward to. I mean, good film to watch going into the season.

Question: What did you like most about Spain?

• Gabe DeVoe: Probably being able to try new foods. That was pretty cool. I didn't like all of them.

Question: Which one did you like?

• Gabe DeVoe: The Paella. That was pretty cool.

Question: Which one did you not like?

• Gabe DeVoe: Probably some of the seafood that we tried.