How Clemson Guard Ace Buckner Learned, Worked on Weaknesses in 2026 Offseason

Clemson's surprising guard of the 2025-26 season saw some issues that he wanted to improve in the past offseason. Now, he's looking to make noise in the ACC.

Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Clemson Tigers guard Ace Buckner (21) dribbles the ball during the second half against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Clemson basketball guard Ace Buckner was candid when discussing what he needed to do during the offseason: he wanted to be the most complete player possible.

Speaking to the media at ACC Tipoff, Buckner was vulnerable about what he needed to do to be the next All-ACC guard that Clemson would have, and he was a gym rat to improve on those things. 

“I realized what my weaknesses were, and I tried to fix those this summer,” he said on Wednesday.

So, what are those weaknesses? He mentioned shooting and growing as a leader to be two of those that he was improving on. 

Buckner was recovering all summer from shoulder surgery, missing the games during Clemson’s trip to Italy and was sidelined for a majority of the last few months. During that time, with so many transfers and young pieces playing, he let his voice be heard from the bench, looking to instill the team’s culture that the players before him had left. 

While his first season had him out with a redshirt, he learned from the likes of Dillon and Chase Hunter, Jaeden Zackery and Jestin Porter, all upperclassmen. 

“I feel like I picked up a lot of things this summer when I was injured, just being on the sideline, talking a lot more, stepping out of my comfort zone, showing guys the way,” Buckner said. “Showing them the Clemson way, showing them how we do things.”

From a shooting standpoint, the Dallas native wasn’t the worst, but he wanted to see improvement from the 42.9% field goal percentage and 31.2% rate he had from beyond the arc. 

“I feel like shooting was probably my biggest weakness early in the season,” he said. “I feel like at the end of the season, ACC play, it got better. I think that came with just not playing basketball for a year.”

Buckner is expected to take another step in 2026-27, and both parts of his game will certainly play a role in that. Clemson’s expected to be more dynamic in its guard play, with Buckner starting alongside sophomore Zac Foster, one of the Tigers’ most committed recruits in program history. 

The junior trusts his game, and the ceiling on this Clemson team could be at its highest in years if Buckner plays his cards right. 

“I stayed confident in my shot,” he said. “I understood the work that I put in, and I’m excited to see what I can do this year.”

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