Zakai Zeigler on his Madison Square Garden homecoming: Every moment meant something

Every step Zakai Zeigler took at Madison Square Garden brought back a memory Tuesday — in the tunnel, on the court, throughout the world’s most famous arena. And they weren’t good ones. 

Tennessee’s senior point guard kept going back to two years ago, when the Vols came to New York for the Sweet 16 against Florida Atlantic, back when Zeigler was only a couple weeks removed from surgery to repair a torn ACL. 

“I remember (in) my head like, the last time I was here, I was on a scooter, rolling around,” Zeigler said Tuesday night. “Just being able to walk that hallway, being able to warm up, every moment out there just meant something to me.”

Zeigler made every moment count in one final homecoming with Tennessee. The Long Island native had a double-double with 13 points and 10 assists and grabbed five rebounds while leading the No. 1 team in college basketball to a 75-62 win over Miami in the Jimmy V Classic. 

“It’s been a tough journey,” Zeigler said, “but no matter what, my mom always told me to be a fighter and never give up. And everything is part of God’s plan. 

“So all the ups and downs in life, no matter what, I’m just thankful to be in position I’m in today.”

Rick Barnes on Zakai Zeigler: ‘I wouldn’t trade him for anybody’

Zeigler was on the floor at The Garden as a freshman in December 2021 in the Jimmy V Classic, coming off the bench to score nine points, with two rebounds, an assist and a steal, in 29 minutes during an ugly 57-52 overtime loss to Texas Tech.

Fifteen months later his sophomore season would end with a torn ACL in Tennessee’s final home game of the regular season. 

He had surgery and was away from the team while the Vols beat Louisiana and Duke in Orlando in the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament, then rejoined his teammates a week later for the East Regional semifinal in New York.  

Tennessee led by as many as nine points in the first half against ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic, but was outscored by 12 after halftime as the Owls’ Cinderella run to the Final Four sent the Vols home.

“I remember the game and it was pretty tough to watch, honestly,” Zeigler said. “I’m a sore loser.”

Zakai Zeigler this season: 12.1 points, 8.0 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 2.0 steals per game

This Tennessee team hasn’t lost yet, off to a 9-0 start — the program’s best since winning nine straight to start the 2000-01 season — with Zeigler as the front man. He’s averaging 12.1 points, 8.0 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 2.0 steals in a team-high 33.2 minutes per game. 

“I wouldn’t trade him for anybody,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. “ … He has been incredible. His DNA, how he’s impacted our program is unlike many players can ever do. And I’m just happy that we’re able to get him back here to New York, being his senior year, because I know he knows what The Garden is about. 

“He knows it’s a stage instead of court. And just getting him back here is really special for him.”

On Tuesday night it was a stage Zeigler got to star on in front of friends and family — at long last. He left town with good memories.

“Being able to come back here,” Zeigler said, “and get a win in front of a lot of hometown friends, family, my grandmother’s here, some people that haven’t got to see my teammates play since high school maybe, it was really meaningful for me, honestly, being able to get that win today and see everybody out there.”