Sometimes, the best way to win a basketball game is to have a “pest” on your team. 

According to Clemson guard Chase Hunter, a “pest” is someone who is “relentless” and “just doesn’t stop” on defense, someone willing to sacrifice their body to secure a loose ball or grab a rebound over a defender six inches taller.

A pest is the player who will sink a dagger 3-pointer to squash the hopes of the other team.

A pest is someone like Jaeden Zackery.

Zackery, a graduate transfer for Clemson, has quickly made his mark on the Tigers program by playing with toughness and tenacity, especially on defense. The guard has described his team’s defensive prowess as a “superpower” on multiple occasions.

Additionally, he has been a crucial addition to the Tigers’ backcourt this season, dishing out assists to forward Ian Schieffelin and center Viktor Lakhin in the post and adding crafty layups and timely shots as needed.

In December’s win over then-fourth-ranked Kentucky, Zackery singlehandedly stifled a Wildcats’ run, generating a steal, hitting a contested layup, drawing an offensive foul, and hitting a three-pointer all within a 30-second span.

Against North Carolina, Zackery was a steal-merchant again, forcing four takeaways in addition to a season high seven assists, finishing with the highest plus-minus ratio on the team. Against then No. 2 Duke, the Salem, Wis., native drained a three to pad a late lead over the Blue Devils.

Zackery’s versatility has been evident all season. He currently sits as the ACC leader in steals (2.0 per game) and averages 10.8 points, 3.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds, hitting 34.2 percent of his shots from three-point range.

 It is hard to imagine Clemson would hold its current 21-5 (13-2 ACC) record without Zackery’s contributions. Head coach Brad Brownell attributes Zackery’s success to his feel for the game and understanding of his role.

“When there’s games where there’s opportunities for him or places to drive or shots to take he’ll take them, but he’s not hunting shots and that’s good,” Brownell said. “You don’t want your whole team hunting shots, so I think he does a really good job of that.”

While Zackery’s “pesky” nature is reserved for the court, his resilience and tenacity is reflected in his journey to Clemson, which began over 800 miles away at his high school in Wisconsin.

Though Zackery averaged 21.5 points and made over 40 percent of his shots his senior year at Wetosha Central High School, Division 1 college scouts did not come calling, fearing the six-foot-one prospect might have a hard time with the physicality at the collegiate level. 

However, unwilling to succumb to others’ opinions, Zackery decided to spend a year in Pennsylvania at Scotland Campus Preparatory School to garner exposure and hone his skills.

One year later, he signed with JUCO Chipola College in Marianna, Fla., and led the program to a state championship and run into the semifinals of the NJCAA tournament, finishing 23-5.

Just as Zackery hoped, when he bet on himself two years prior, Division 1 scouts came calling to recruit the NJCAA All-American.

Ultimately, Zackery packed up to move to his fourth state in three years and joined the Boston College Eagles for the 2021 season. Over his three-year career playing in Boston, Zackery started 100 games and served as a Swiss Army Knife, averaging double-digits and multiple assists, rebounds, and steals each season.

Of course, his defense has always been a strong suit. In 2024, Zackery, as a Boston College Eagle, held Hunter to 0-for-10 from the floor and dropped 22 points on Clemson to eliminate the Tigers from the ACC Tournament.

Subsequently, Brownell knew he needed the guard on his squad. One year later, the 23rd-ranked Tigers are positioned to return to the ACC Tournament with a possible double-bye, and this time they will have Zackery on their side.

Luckily, the veteran is no stranger to the ACC landscape. With last week’s wins over Duke and UNC, he has defeated every team in the conference.

“At Boston College, I beat every ACC team except Duke and North Carolina,” Zackery said after scoring 16 in the win over UNC. “And now in the past three days, I’ve beaten both of them. Someone said I’m like [Marvel’s] Thanos — I’ve got all the rings now.”

Zackery has certainly earned those rings, and his journey proves that hustle and betting on yourself can pay off, both on and off the court.

—photo by Melina Myers / Imagn Images