Zakai Zeigler’s Time As A Vol Is Likely Over
Image: Vol Stats & Info
By Cody McClure
A court in East Tennessee has denied Zakai Zeigler’s preliminary injunction for another year of NCAA eligibility.
Zeigler had been seeking one more year as a college basketball player with Tennessee but that wish will likely not be fulfilled as Judge Katherin Crytzer noted that the court is one of law and not policy.
“What the NCAA should do as a policy matter to benefit student athletes is beyond the reach of the Sherman Act and TTPA and by extension, this Court," she said.
Zeigler had argued that the NCAA was standing in the way of his financial interests by keeping him from playing one more season.
His lawsuit stated that he would have an NIL valuation of $2-4 million by playing one more season and that Tennessee had a spot open for him on the roster.
That might have made roster management for the Vols a little tricky this year with incoming transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie set to play point guard.
It doesn’t appear now that that will be a problem, as Zeigler is likely done at UT barring a new development in the case.
Though, there is still some hope for Tennessee’s long-time point guard, according to Trey Wallace of Outkick.
Of course, Zeigler will always be a beloved VFL. Perhaps he’ll be able to find basketball success at some sort of professional level.
Worst-case scenario, he can probably own a car dealership in East Tennessee.