While the Tennessee basketball department is hopeful that Zakai Zeigler can make a speedy return to the court, the Vols still don’t have an exact timetable on his return at this point in the recovery process. Tennessee wants to get their point guard back on the court as quickly as possible but is doing so in the safest and smartest possible way over the span of the offseason.
During the Big Orange Caravan event in Knoxville on Thursday evening, Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes pulled back the curtain on his injured star point guard. Zeigler, who just wrapped up his second full year on Rocky Top, suffered an ACL tear in the penultimate game of the regular season against Arkansas.
“We hope but we don’t know that timetable,” Barnes said about the potential of Zeigler being back for the start of the 2023-2024 season. “I know he will do everything he possibly can to be ready as quickly as he possibly can. But, obviously, we’re going to make sure he’s 100 percent totally healthy and he’s doing – I just left him, he just finished up. He’s always the last one in there with [athletic trainer] Chad [Newman] and [Sports Performance Director] Garrett [Medenwald], just doing everything above and beyond. He’ll get back and he’ll be back full speed, but in terms of a timetable, we don’t know.”
Zeigler has previously been optimistic that he will be back for the season, though.
“As of right now, I’m not really 100 percent sure, but I plan on being back next season before we start,” Zeigler said while speaking to the media on March 8.
While battling the assumed emotions that would come with an injury of that magnitude right before the postseason, Zeigler still kept his head up high and contributed to the Tennessee team from the scooter that he would wheel himself around in.
“I would just say staying positive, talking to them as much as possible, letting them know what I see on the sideline because this is a whole nother ball game looking at the game from the sideline than on the court,” Zeigler said back in March on his new role with the team from the bench. “You see more things. You see all 10 guys on the floor really easily. I would just say letting everyone know what I see on the court and staying positive. Trying to help them in any situation.”
Zeigler provided energy and encouragement throughout the SEC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament from the far corner of the Vols’ bench.
Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler is the man to talk to during pregame warm ups.
Even Ole Miss players are coming over to share some words with Zeigler. @rockytopinsider pic.twitter.com/OeDfBbVt52
— Ric Butler (@Ric_Butler) March 9, 2023
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In his first year at Tennessee, primarily playing as the second of the one-two punch from himself and VFL Kennedy Chandler, the Long Island, NY native averaged 8.8 points, 2.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per contest.
Then, after taking the lead as Tennessee’s primary point guard during the 2022-2023 season, Zeigler upped all three statistics to 10.7 points, 5.4 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. Zeigler was then named to the 2023 SEC All-Defensive Team along with a selection to the 2023 All-SEC Second Team (Coaches, AP).
Along with returning super senior guard Santiago Vescovi, Zakai Zeigler will surely be looked at as one of the most important pieces on Tennessee’s roster during the upcoming 2023 season. The Vols are hoping to get their guy back as soon, and as safely, as possible.
Check out the full interview from Rick Barnes at the Big Orange Caravan event on Thursday evening in Knoxville below.
