Zakai Zeigler's Chance To Respond

While returning from an injury towards the end of the 2023 season, Tennessee Volunteers guard Zakai Zeigler now has the opportunity to be something special.

It would not exactly be a happy ending to Zakai Zeigler's season last year. In the Vols' final home game against Arkansas, Zeigler suffered a devastating non-contact injury that would turn out to be an ACL tear that ended his 2022-23 campaign.

The Volunteers would go on to win that same game 75-57 but would be without their dynamic point guard for the remainder of the year. Despite the rough ending, Zeigler put up great numbers in season number two on Rocky Top. He finished averaging 11 points, five assists, and 3 rebounds a game. These stats were improvements from his freshman season due to the 15 starts he made in 2022-23 compared to the previous season.

An important factor that brought attention to the Long Island native was that he led the SEC in assists last season. He was also top five in the leagues in steals showing the evolution he has been going through as a defender. The growth surely showed for him in all areas of the game in his second season with Tennessee. So what can we exactly see from him in his return to the floor in 2023-24? The sky is most definitely the limit. Zeigler has a deep group of guards around him who are all young, new freshmen and incoming transfers from other schools. This makes him the leader of this core.

He also is one of the players who has been around the program for a long time. Zeigler can pave the way for these new faces that will see the floor a lot for Tennessee this year. A stat leader in the SEC and a leader now of a different-looking team provides a challenge and an intriguing look at just what Zeigler can do this upcoming season. 

Tennessee G Zakai Zeigler getting interviewed before the NCAA Tournament in New York City, New York, on March 22, 2023. (Photo by Caitie McMekin of the News Sentinel)

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