Zac Foster’s comeback plan has hit another brutal setback.
The Clemson sophomore guard has re-torn the ACL in the same knee that cost him most of last season, the school confirmed after an MRI on Oct. 12.
Foster had originally gone down against South Carolina on Dec. 16, 2025, and missed the rest of that season. Now, the timeline for his return to Clemson men’s basketball has been pushed back again, with no current timetable in place.
Foster had been hopeful to get back on the floor for the 2026-2027 season, but that goal is now off the table for the moment. He said in a statement released Oct.
13, “I am devastated with this news. 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 wrote in a statement released Oct.
- “I appreciate the support of the Clemson Family, my teammates and my coaches over these past several months and I can’t wait to be back healthy and playing in Littlejohn again.”
There were signs just days earlier that Foster was moving in the right direction. At ACC Tipoff on Oct.
7, Clemson coach Brad Brownell said Foster had recently returned to practice and was wearing a brace on his knee. It still wasn’t certain whether he would be ready in time for the season opener against Stetson on Nov.
“(Foster) looks like a guy that's had an injury. He's playing with a big brace for the first time and still a little timid, as you would imagine,” Brownell said. “I'm optimistic that he's going to be fine.”
Brownell later issued a statement expressing support for the guard and outlining the program’s commitment to him during the recovery process.
“My heart hurts for Zac during this difficult time. He is a special young man with a bright future.
He has worked tirelessly these last nine-plus months to get back onto the floor,” Brownell wrote in a statement. “We’re committed to keeping Zac engaged throughout this process and he will continue to play a meaningful role in our team’s efforts.
I care for him deeply and know that he will be resilient in the face of this new challenge.”
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