Preseason for Tennessee basketball is underway in preparation for the Vols’ 2023–24 season, with the team’s opening matchup against Tennessee Tech coming up in a little over a month. Zakai Zeigler, the point guard for the Volunteers, is receiving a lot of attention in the early going regarding his defense.
Andy Katz, an analyst for NCAA.com, has praised Zeigler, ranking him among the top ten defenders in the country for the upcoming season. He ranked Zeigler ninth, one spot ahead of Kansas guard Dajuan Harris and ahead of New Mexico Lobos guard Jaelen House, who came in at number ten. Zeigler’s ranking on this list contributes to his alignment with Tennessee’s conventional “defense-first” philosophy. Since head coach Rick Barnes joined Rocky Top in 2015, the team has played a more defensive brand of football.
Zeigler’s 2022–2023 season demonstrated why he belongs in the top ten ranks among defenders. Zeigler took the field last year, averaging 2.0 steals per game after a strong 1.7 steals per game during his rookie campaign. His hands at the top of the defense are very active, which results in more offensive possessions and transitional fastbreak opportunities. Zeigler finished in the top five in the SEC in steals last season based on his average from this past season. He was listed alongside a few other 2023 NBA draft choices who were also among the top five in the SEC and were well-known for their defensive abilities, such as Anthony Black of Arkansas and Cason Wallace of Kentucky.
Zeigler’s torn ACL sustained during Tennessee’s senior night game against the Arkansas Razorbacks also kept him out of action for the Vols. Throughout the rest of the season, including the SEC and NCAA tournaments, he did not play for the Vols. The Vols have an insane amount of depth for the upcoming season with Zeigler back in the lineup. Additionally, analysts like Katz claim that it maintains Knoxville’s solid reputation for defense.
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