While Tennessee Basketball’s roster will look quite different this fall, two key seniors still remain at the top of the Vols’ food chain.
Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack are both set to return to Tennessee for their senior seasons with a good bit of movement around them. Tennessee lost four players to the portal this season with three departing for hopes of professional basketball ahead. Still, though, Mashack and Zeigler remain constants in the program.
Zeigler, who spent the entirety of last season learning how to walk and play basketball again after an ACL tear late in the season, is looking forward to having a more traditional and normal offseason this year. Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes says that Zeigler is practicing like he was playing in Game 1 or Game 30 of a season despite it just being a practice a few weeks after the season.
Mashack, on the other hand, is working to continue to develop his game with a starting role up for grabs for the veteran this offseason. Mashack was Tennessee’s best versatile defender last year and is now looking to improve his offseason to go hand-in-hand with his defensive prowess.
Zeigler and Mashack met with the media on Thursday before practice and hit a few different topics. Both players spoke about their former teammates leaving for the transfer portal, the incoming addition of Hofstra transfer Darlinstone “DStone” Dubar, and some of their goals this summer.
More from RTI: Rick Barnes, Tennessee Basketball Not Closing Door On Tobe Awaka Returning
Check out both interviews on Thursday in Knoxville below:
Tennessee G Zakai Zeigler
Tennessee G Jahmai Mashack
Check out Rick Barnes’ press conference on Thursday by clicking here.