Why Zakai Zeigler Is One College Basketball's Best Guards

Zakai Zeigler may not be the first name you think of when you top guards in college hoops. But make no mistake, his impact is felt on the court.

A Long Island, New York, sophomore, named Zakai Zeigler, came to Knoxville on a mission. Only a three-star recruit, he took the entire country by storm with an incredible freshman season. He has continued that here in year two on Rocky Top.

Zeigler is only 5-foot-9 making him one of the smaller guards in college basketball. However, his quickness with the basketball and his confidence to shoot from virtually everywhere make up for it. It requires defenses to always look for where he is on the court.

Zeigler on his game, "Really, I wouldn't say it's too much about my size. I'd rather say it's about me wanting to win. If you are nervous, you are going to play nervous. So I just play fearlessly."

The one separating factor that has been there for Zeigler this year compared to last is his passing. This season, he is averaging 5.5 assists a game compared to 2.7 during his freshman year. He leads the SEC in assists and is top 20 in the country in that category.

He has had multiple double-doubles this season, which never happened last year. He has five this season, including one in Tennessee's latest one against South Carolina (13 points and 11 assists).

His best game this season was the Big 12/SEC challenge against Texas. He finished with 22 points and ten assists. He also went 7-10 (70%) from the field and 3-6 (50%) from three-point range.

The percentages from the floor are a part of what makes Zeigler such a deadly asset for the Vols. When he starts scoring, he scores in bunches. In games in which he has scored 20+ points this season, Zeigler has shot an unbelievable 70% or more from the field and 40% or more from beyond the arc.

This "fearless" attitude, scary shooting streaks, and improved assists numbers have made Zeigler one of the most formidable guards in the country. Do not let the 5-foot-9-inch frame fool you, the sophomore from Long Island can play, and he's not done quite yet. 

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