Zakai Za’Miek Zeigler (born August 2, 2002) is an American college basketball player for the Tennessee Volunteers of the Southeastern Conference.
| No. 5 – Tennessee Volunteers | |
|---|---|
| Position | Point guard |
| League | Southeastern Conference |
| Personal information | |
| Born | August 2, 2002 Long Island, New York, U.S. |
| Listed height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Listed weight | 171 lb (78 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Our Saviour Lutheran School (The Bronx, New York) |
| College | Tennessee (2021–present) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
High school career
editZeigler graduated from Our Saviour Lutheran School in The Bronx, New York, but he played basketball at Immaculate Conception High School in Montclair, New Jersey. With Immaculate Conception, Zeigler averaged 20.3 points and 4.6 assists per game.[1] A three-star recruit, he committed to play college basketball at the University of Tennessee over offers from Minnesota, Boston College, and Wichita State.[2][3]
College career
editIn his freshman season, Zeigler made an immediate impact.[4] He finished the season averaging 8.8 points per game while shooting 35% from three.[5] The following season, Zeigler averaged 10.7 points and 5.4 assists per game before his season prematurely ended after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in a game against Arkansas.[6][7][8] Zeigler returned to action the next season with limited playing time.[9] His role increased throughout the season as he recovered, eventually being named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year at the season's end.[10][11]
Career statistics
edit| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
College
edit| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Tennessee | 35 | 1 | 22.1 | .381 | .352 | .843 | 1.9 | 2.7 | 1.7 | .1 | 8.8 |
| 2022–23 | Tennessee | 30 | 15 | 28.8 | .375 | .311 | .833 | 2.7 | 5.4 | 2.0 | .2 | 10.7 |
| 2023–24 | Tennessee | 36 | 30 | 31.6 | .393 | .344 | .706 | 2.8 | 6.1 | 1.7 | .1 | 11.8 |
| Career | 101 | 46 | 27.5 | .384 | .335 | .782 | 2.5 | 4.7 | 1.8 | .1 | 10.4 | |
Personal life
editZeigler's half-brother, Armoni, plays for the Saint Peter's Peacocks men's basketball team.[12][13]
References
edit- ^ "3-star recruit Zakai Zeigler commits to Tennessee basketball". wbir.com. August 27, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ "From Wyandanch to Tennessee: Zakai Zeigler's amazing hardwood journey". Greater Long Island. February 16, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ Wilson, Mike. "Trains, sacrifices and a last chance: Zakai Zeigler's journey to Tennessee basketball". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ Stone, Ethan (January 6, 2022). "Zakai Zeigler settling into major role to start his freshman season at Tennessee". The Daily Beacon. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ "Could Zakai Zeigler be ready for Tennessee basketball season opener?". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ Wilson, Mike. "Zakai Zeigler out for Tennessee basketball vs Lenoir-Rhyne exhibition". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ Simpson, Carissa (March 1, 2023). "Zakai Zeigler tore ACL during Arkansas game, Tennessee Athletics says". WVLT. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ Jarreau, Caleb (March 1, 2024). "Zakai Zeigler looks back on knee injury a year later". The Daily Beacon. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ Wilson, Mike. "Tennessee basketball gets 'heart and soul' back with Zakai Zeigler's return from ACL injury". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ Dauer, Paige (March 14, 2024). "Tennessee gets its 'heart and soul' back with Zakai Zeigler on the floor". WVLT. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ "Zakai Zeigler earns SEC Defensive Player of the Year after rebounding from 2023 injury". WBIR. March 11, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ "'That's my brother — it's my heart, it's my world' | Zakai and Armoni Zeigler excited to face off in Tennessee-Saint Peter's matchup". wbir.com. March 20, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ Wilson, Mike. "Zakai Zeigler, Armoni Zeigler March Madness brothers matchup started on Long Island hoop". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved July 1, 2024.