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'Embracing the next chapter': Zakai Zeigler ends fight for fifth season at Tennessee

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey07/02/25GrantRamey
Zakai Zeigler
USA TODAY IMAGES/Jordan Prather

Zakai Zeigler’s fight to play a fifth season with Tennessee Basketball is officially over. It was announced on Tuesday that Zeigler is no longer pursuing a fifth year and is instead focusing on the next step in his basketball career. 

Zeigler’s request for a preliminary injunction was denied by a federal judge in June. His legal team appealed the ruling, but announced Tuesday they had voluntarily withdrew the appeal. 

“We filed a voluntary dismissal of our appeal of the injunction denial in Zakai’s case,” Litson PLLC said in a statement. “While we had hoped to see Zakai back in orange and white, he’s embracing the next chapter of his basketball career with optimism and resolve.”

Zakai Zeigler’s lawsuit against NCAA will continue

Zeigler’s lawsuit will continue, even though he is no longer pursuing another season with the Vols.  

“We remain committed to pressing his case forward in the trial court,” the law firm’s statement added, “where the core legal issues remain very much alive.”

Zeigler was not selected in the NBA Draft last week, but he will play for the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Summer League.

He starred at Tennessee over the last four seasons, quickly becoming the face of the program after being added late to the 2021 recruiting class as a relatively unknown three-star prospect. 

Zeigler averaged 11.3 points, 5.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 29.3 minutes per game over 118 career games at Tennessee, shooting 39.0% from the field and 33.1% from the 3-point line.

He had a career year last season, averaging 13.6 points, 7.4 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 34.2 minutes per game while leading Tennessee to a second straight trip to the Elite Eight. 

During the season he became Tennessee’s all-time assists leader (747), single-season assists leader (257), the SEC’s single-season assists record holder and the first player in SEC history with 1,550 points, 700 assists, 350 rebounds and 250 steals. 

Chaz Lanier, Jahmai Mashack selected in second round of NBA Draft

The Pistons drafted Tennessee shooting guard Chaz Lanier at No. 37 overall, ahead of Tennessee guard Jahmai Mashack going at No. 59 overall to the Memphis Grizzlies, via a trade with the Houston Rockets.

Lanier in his one season at Tennessee averaged 18.0 points per game last season while shooting 43.1% from the field and 39.5% from the 3-point line. He made 123 3-pointers in 38 games, breaking the previous record of 118 held by Chris Lofton.

Mashack, the 6-foot-4, 202-pound Fontana, Calif., native, was considered one of the best perimeter defenders in college basketball last season while averaging 6.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 38 games as a senior with the Vols. 

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