All-American point guard Zakai Zeigler intends to play the 2025-26 season at Tennessee if granted an extra year of eligibility, his lawyers told federal judge Katherine Crytzer Friday according to reporting from the Knoxville News Sentinel’s Tyler Whetstone.
Zeigler had his day in court Friday as his lawyers argued for a preliminary injunction that would grant the star point guard a fifth year of college eligibility.
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.
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 his lawsuit, Zeigler claims that he could make between $2-4 million playing college basketball next season if granted eligibility.
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According to Whetston’s reporting, Zeigler’s lawyers argued that the point guard should still be able to enter the transfer portal and play elsewhere if granted the preliminary injunction that he seeks. But Tennessee has told him he has a roster spot if granted a fifth-year of eligibility and Tennessee is where he intends to play.
The Vols still has one unused roster spot as they fill out their roster for the 2025-26 season. Tennessee has been exploring options to add another guard to its roster, hosting Dartmouth transfer Ryan Cornish on a visit earlier this week before deciding not to offer the shooting guard.
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.
