Judge denies Zakai Zeigler lawsuit seeking fifth year of eligibility at Tennessee

Zakai Zeigler’s lawsuit seeking a fifth-year of eligibility for the 2025-26 season was denied on Thursday afternoon. Judge Katherine Crytzer wrote the injunction “failed to present sufficient evident that the Four Seasons rule produces substantial anticompetitive effect that harms consumers in the market for student-athlete services and NIL compensation in D1 basketball.”

The lawsuit, initially filed on May 20, alleged the NCAA’s rule permitting four seasons of eligibility within a five-year eligibly window is an unlawful restraint of trade under federal and state antirust laws.”

A hearing was held in a Knoxville court last Friday.

This is the big one: A Tennessee court denies a preliminary injunction in the eligibility case brought by Tennessee basketball player Zakai Zeigler. pic.twitter.com/2Cr3xqvMci

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) June 12, 2025

“We have requested a preliminary injunction to allow Zakai to compete in the upcoming season while pursuing his graduate studies,” a press release from Litson PLLC and Garza Law Firm said when the lawsuit was field in May. “We look forward to a swift resolution to this matter so that Zakai can begin preparing for next season.”

Tennessee Basketball’s 2025-26 roster currently has one open spot, but the Vols have already addressed the point guard position by signing Maryland transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie. The Greeneville, Tenn., native, was Tennessee’s first addition out of the NCAA Transfer Portal in April. 

Gillespie started all 36 games at Maryland last season, averaging 14.7 points and 4.8 assists in 31.6 minutes per game while shooting 45.3% from the floor and 40.7% from the 3-point line, where he made 87 of 214 attempts.

Zakai Zeigler at Tennessee: 11.3 points, 5.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 1.8 steals per game

Zeigler, who was not invited to the NBA Draft Combine or the NBA’s G League Elite Camp last month, starred at Tennessee over the last four seasons, quickly becoming the face of the program after being added late to the 2021 recruiting class as a relatively unknown three-star prospect. 

He averaged 11.3 points, 5.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 29.3 minutes per game over 118 career games at Tennessee, shooting 39.0% from the field and 33.1% from the 3-point line.

Zeigler had a career year last season, averaging 13.6 points, 7.4 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 34.2 minutes per game while leading Tennessee to a second straight trip to the Elite Eight. 

During the season he became Tennessee’s all-time assists leader (747), single-season assists leader (257), the SEC’s single-season assists record holder and the first player in SEC history with 1,550 points, 700 assists, 350 rebounds and 250 steals. 

Tennessee Baseball’s Alberto Osuna pursued similar legal means while seeking a fifth year of eligibility from the NCAA but was denied, despite the same expert witness used in the case of two football players — Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia and Rutgers safety Jett Elad — who successfully won an additional year of eligibility.

Zakai Zeigler: ‘Through it all, we became a brotherhood’

Zeigler won 109 games over the last four seasons at Tennessee, against just 36 losses, and was part of teams that went to two Elite Eights, a Sweet 16 and the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. 

“I’m just thankful, really, that I have been able to be around guys like this and be coached by the coaches that have been here with me,” Zeigler said after Tennessee’s season ended in an Elite Eight loss to Houston in Indianapolis. “We have had some highs and lows this season, but I don’t feel like we folded at all through it all. Through it all, we became a brotherhood.” 

“… For it to get to this point and for everybody on this team to be able to call them brothers and to actually mean it, it means something to me,” Zeigler added. “These are people I’m going to talk to for the rest of my life, people that I love.”