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Would Zakai Zeigler be interested in a fifth year at Tennessee? 'Why would I not?'

IMG_3593by:Grant Ramey•about 10 hours•

GrantRamey

Tennessee G Zakai Zeigler
(Randy Sartin | Imagn Images)

If the NCAA opts to move to five years of eligibility for student-athletes, count Zakai Zeigler as a senior who would be interested in returning for the extra year, should he be given the opportunity.

“Only God knows,” Zeigler, Tennessee’s senior point guard and emotional leader, said Sunday night during an appearance on The Locker Room TV show. “Only God knows. But why would I not? 

“Like, if this is the best situation for me, why would I not? I love Vol Nation and Vol Nation loves me. So that’s the best situation then.”

Hurdles would have to be cleared for that situation to happen.

Jon Rothstein reported a month ago that the NCAA was considering moving to five years of eligibly for athletes in all sports, adding that the topic “will continue to be discussed in early 2025.”

For basketball seniors, it would depend not only on the new rule getting approved and passed, but also on what date the new rule would go into effect. 

Tennessee has four fourth-year seniors on roster

Tennessee has four fourth-year seniors: Zeigler, guard Jordan Gainey and Jahmai Mashack and forward Igor Millcic Jr.

If the rule is not passed in time, the Vols will have at least six open scholarship spots on the 2025-26 roster, after adding two prep signees in four-star guard Amari Evans and four-star center Dewayne Brown.

Zeigler is having a career year, averaging 12.3 points, 7.4 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 34.3 minutes per game. 

“Very few guys can do what he does,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said two week ago, “the way he impacts the game on both ends, his defense and how hard he (plays).”

“The guy has been an incredible blessing for me personally,” Barnes said. 

“What he does,” Barnes added later, “… he does it every day. It’s just who he is. It’s in his DNA and it’s really a blessing as a coach to have a guy like that.”

Zeigler missed Saturday’s 64-44 win over No. 5 Florida at Food City Center due to the right knee injury he suffered in the 78-73 home loss to Kentucky.

Zakai Zeigler says he’ll be back Wednesday vs. Missouri

He also said during The Locker Room appearance Sunday night that he will be back on the floor when No. 4 Tennessee (18-4, 5-4 SEC) hosts No. 15 Missouri (17-4, 6-2) on Wednesday (7 p.m. Eastern Time, SEC Network) in Knoxville. 

Barnes said during an appearance at The Big Orange Tipoff Club in January that he didn’t know if he’d still be coaching had Zeigler not come to Tennessee in 2021.

“Zakai Zeigler has impacted this program in four years in a way that nobody in their wildest imagination (expected),” Barnes said at the time. “In ways that you can’t even imagine. He’s been a fighter his whole life. He’s been told he’s too small. He can’t do this. He can’t do that. And he, I don’t care what anyone else thinks, I know what he thinks.

“To have him every day do what he does, is an incredible blessing that God gave me. Because I don’t know if I’d still be doing (coaching), I’ll be honest with you. I don’t. Because of him, he makes me enjoy practice every day.”

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