Simple exercises, such as a side-by-side lunge or a seated butterfly stretch with his feet placed against each other, should not have been so difficult for Clemson senior Jack Clark.
But each time he attempted, Clark felt a stinging pull in his crotch.
The 6-foot-10 forward couldn’t run, jump, or box-out on the basketball court unless he stretched his muscles.
“It was extremely difficult mentally,” said Clark, a sixth-year graduate transfer, “because when I came here from (N.C.) State, I wanted to be a very high contributor, at a high level, from Day 1.”
Clark demonstrated what he can provide to the Tigers in their 18th game, tallying seven points, seven rebounds, and four assists in 21 minutes against Florida State. However, it was a long-awaited demonstration of his adaptability, since two groin surgeries and subsequent rehabs failed to restore Clark to full health.
Clark was out for a month and a half after playing sparingly in Clemson’s first six games. Pain had become his new normal, but when he went to lunge and butterfly stretch early this month, he felt like himself again.
“I was a little shocked,” Clark admitted. “Like, well, I’m feeling nice today. Let us try again tomorrow.
Clark progressed from stretching to shooting, then dunking, and finally full-contact drills.
Some vigilance is still required, because Clark has improved and regressed before. But if the soreness in his leg muscles has truly ceased, it has returned an important puzzle piece to Clemson’s lineup.
Whereas Syracuse transfer Joe Girard compensated for some of what Clemson lost in points with Hunter Tyson’s pro debut, Clark’s length and experience were intended to replace Tyson’s physical presence on the wings.
It was a mistake to expect he would be ready on Day One.
“I just believe that I went out there too soon, and I just wasn’t ready at that moment,” Clark went on to say. “But once I relaxed, took more time to myself, and really just waited for this to heal, I think that helped me get back out there.”
Clark has had an interesting round ride, as the N.C. State transfer, who played his first four seasons at La Salle, suffered his groin injury during a road game.
Clark’s career has been weirdly circular, as the N.C. State transfer, who spent his first four seasons at La Salle, suffered his groin injury during a road game at Clemson on December 30, 2022.
Late in the second half, Clark attempted a steal and lost his footing.
“My legs just did kind of a half-split, and it was just pain that shot right through my groin,” recalled Clark.
