Clemson basketball has fallen victim to the injury bug over the course of the last several months. However, more unfortunate news struck the Tigers with just a month out until the season begins.
Sophomore standout guard Zac Foster tore his ACL in the same knee that he suffered back in December, according to a team spokesperson on Tuesday morning. He is now out indefinitely.
“I am devastated with this news,” he said in a statement. “I’ve worked extremely hard to come back and help this team this season, and to face this again is a very difficult reality.”
Foster missed the entirety of conference play from the 2025-26 season after tearing his ACL against South Carolina. Through a slow process, there was an expectation for the sophomore to be ready to go by the beginning of the season, which tips off in the first week of November.
Now, he will miss an undisclosed amount of time, but it’s at least a 10-month process to get back to the court from an injury like this.
“My heart hurts for Zac during this difficult time. He is a special young man with a bright future,” head coach Brad Brownell said in a statement.
Last season, as a freshman, Clemson’s highly touted guard averaged 6.9 points, 2.5 assists and 2.8 rebounds for the Tigers in just 12 games. However, Brownell had enormous plans for the standout when he returned in 2026-27, calling him the “quarterback” of Clemson’s offensive sets alongside junior Ace Buckner.
Now, that will have to wait another season with Foster’s setback.
In his place, Buckner will become the lead guard on Clemson’s offense, also representing the Tigers during ACC Tipoff last week in uptown Charlotte. However, the question goes to who will be the lead guard alongside Buckner for the rest of the season.
Fortunately, Brownell has candidates.
Notre Dame transfer Cole Certa is expected to play an important role in the Tigers’ backcourt, being a three-point artist that they certainly missed last season that he brought to the Fighting Irish. True freshman Harris Reynolds will certainly see an uptick in production, although Brownell likes to develop first-year players before putting them on the court.
Of course, the question will also go to potential fifth-year guard, Dillon Hunter. However, he’s currently unavailable to play unless a judge flips the decision. He has been practicing with the team, though, and if he is available to go next season, Brownell would catch a break with his backcourt.
However, Foster’s injury sets back a potential breakout candidate for Clemson going into the 2026-27 season, and the Tigers will need to find answers fast.
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