Tennessee basketball’s Zakai Zeigler is suing the NCAA and seeking an extra-year of eligibility in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
Zeigler, who has played four seasons of college basketball in four years, is arguing that the NCAA is causing “irreparable injury” to his economic interests by keeping him from playing college basketball during the 2025-26 season.
Unlike many eligibility lawsuits, Zeigler is not suing over years played at a junior college or due to COVID-19. He is arguing that since other players are allowed to spend five years in college, he should have the same right. According to current NCAA bylaws, players can play four seasons in five years using a redshirt season.
Since the fifth year is, theoretically, the most profitable for a player because of their development Zeigler’s case argues that the NCAA can not lawfully take that fifth year away from him. In the lawsuit, Zeigler seeks a preliminary injunction from the courts that allows him to play in the 2025-26 college basketball season.
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The case also argues that the NCAA’s academic requirements acknowledge that the average student athlete graduates in over four years making the arbitrary Four-Seasons rules hypocritical. Zeigler graduated last week.
There have been discussions around the NCAA about passing a rule that abolishes redshirts and simply allowing student-athletes to play five seasons in five years. That rule would not pass until after, potentially a good stretch of time after, the House Settlement passes.
Zeigler was a four-year contributor and three-year starter for Tennessee basketball. A two-time All-SEC selection and SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Zeigler was named a Third Team All-American by multiple athletes for his play during the 2024-25 season.
In his senior season, Zeigler averaged 13.6 points and 7.4 assists per game and led Tennessee to the Elite Eight for the second straight season. Zeigler was also a key part of Tennessee winning the 2024 SEC Regular-Season Championship.
