3/24/2023 0 Comments Tiny player home![]() I’m glad he’s here.”Ī new season of Tennessee basketball unofficially starts Saturday, with a 3 p.m. He’ll be getting posted up by Uros, and he won’t give an inch. ![]() He competes at the highest level possible every single day. ![]() Zeigler, according to James, is a Tennessee guy. Everyone from the five-stars to the walk-ons is forced to accept that or find another place to play. The Vols have an unofficial program mantra - “It’s Not About Me” - and they live by it. Perhaps most importantly, though, Zeigler is what James and others call a “Tennessee guy.” Barnes and his staff are sticklers for the kind of personalities they add to their locker room. But Zakai was somebody we found out about, I think, like five days before he ended up committing here. I mean, I knew kind of what I was getting with all the other freshmen, with Kennedy, Jahmai, Jonas and Q. “Somebody earlier today asked me who’s been the most impressive guy, and I’d say him. He definitely has been impressive,” James said. It wasn’t an outlier, either, as Zeigler has proved practically every day since he’s been in Knoxville. There’s no way he should be out here on the court doing what he’s doing.’” ![]() He had, like, eight points in a row the first day he was here, and I was like, ‘Who is this guy? He’s, what, 5-5? Look at him. Zeigler didn’t take long to make an impression on his new teammates, though. 61 overall, while French guard Quentin Diboundje also got a large bump late in the process to finish at No. California wing Jahmai Mashack finished at No. 8 overall prospect, while big men Brandon Huntley-Hatfield and Jonas Aidoo checked in at No. 1 point guard prospect according to both 247Sports and the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. Tennessee’s touted class also included five-star Kennedy Chandler, the nation’s No. “I didn’t know him or anything about him,” said Tennessee junior guard Josiah-Jordan James, one of several former five-star prospects to sign with the Vols in recent years. Knoxville Catholic High School big man Handje Tamba also reclassified and started his college career one year ahead of schedule, but he was a local product and played for the same local BMaze Elite AAU program that has become a pipeline for the Vols, so everyone in and around the program was very familiar with him. None of the Vols’ current players knew anything about him, which is highly unusual in this era. “We got very fortunate and blessed to get Zakai Zeigler at the end,” said Tennessee coach Rick Barnes, who has praised the young point guard several times in recent weeks.ĭespite a significant bump following his Peach Jam breakout, Zeigler was the least-heralded prospect in Tennessee’s blockbuster signing class, which finished fourth nationally in 247Sports’ rankings. Vols freshman guard Zakai Zeigler (Photo: Tennessee Athletic Communications) He quickly visited Knoxville, committed shortly after returning home, reclassified up one grade and signed with the Vols. The generously-listed 5-foot-9 point guard with a boyish face and long, braided hair got several offers, including one from Tennessee. The New York City native’s 23-point outburst (including 7-of-8 shooting from 3-point range) against the eventual champion was named Best Performance of the showcase by The Season Ticket, and he performed at or near that level the entire week.Įverything from there was a whirlwind. Zeigler emerged from practically nowhere at this summer’s annual Peach Jam, and he lit the star-studded event on fire. They could be from opposite sides of this large country, or even from outside this country, but they usually know each other and have played against each other. In other words, these guys almost always know each other. The Tennessee basketball program has recruited at the highest level the past years, and the highest level of amateur basketball is a small fraternity where everyone knows basically everyone.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |