Boy & Girls Club Hall of Fame Zakai Zeigler Interviewed on stage by Brian Rice the Voice of the Lady Vols
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Boy & Girls Club Hall of Fame
Zakai Zeigler Interviewed on stage by Brian Rice the Voice of the Lady Vols
The Boys and Girls Club of the Cumberland Plateau held their Hall of Fame dinner on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. Their special guest speaker was Tennessee’s three-time All-SEC Defensive Team designee, Zakai Zeigler. He was happy to answer some of our questions.
When asked what was it like growing up and playing basketball in New York, a state that can seem remote and miles away from Tennessee, Zeigler spoke of the many hours he spent on train rides, back and forth to practices and games every day, and, as it would, after a while, he admitted, it got the best of him. At this point, he remembered, just saying, “I’m done!” With his dreams on the line, he found himself sitting down bawling his eyes out. The sport had been his life, and though he had a great support system and his family had always been there, through good and bad, he was tired, and suddenly didn’t want to play basketball anymore. In fact, following the life-altering realization, he didn’t play for two years. He didn’t even want to pick up a ball.
When, one day, he received a surprise call from Tennessee coach Rick Barnes, he initially thought his buddies were playing a joke on him. When he realized it was, in fact, Barnes, Ziegler admitted that he got a rush throughout his body, though he didn’t even know where Tennessee was at the time. Still reluctant to believe Barnes’ call, it was his New York coach who assured him it was an offer from the Vols.
Tennessee, though, was an adjustment for the native New Yorker. “I didn’t like it,” he said. “My mom called and asked me what was wrong? Everyone was so nice, and I didn’t trust anyone. I kept thinking what are they going to do to me? What are they going to take from me? I was just very skeptical of everyone. It took me a few months to get adjusted and learn the people and culture.” Ziegler admitted that it took some time for him to adjust, but after that threshold, he learned to love Tennessee and, before long, didn’t want to leave
“My house burned down, and the owner started a go-fund-me account, to help me and people donated and really took care of me and blessed me so much,” he recalled, remembering the support and hospitality of the state of Tennessee. “During my injury, I really got down and I remembered my mom saying, ‘everything happens for a reason and how you handle it says a lot about the person you are.’ That made me more determined to succeed!” he said.
There were many lessons in Tennessee and throughout life.
“My cousin and I were talking,” he remembered, “and he was having a tough time and asking ‘Why Me? Why Me?’ and I told him that No matter who you are, some situations are worse than others, but all things are fixable!”
It may result from the lessons he learned from Barnes, himself, whose method and desire for hard work merits rewards, on and off the court.
“Coach Barnes cares,” Zeigler said, “and if he thinks you are having problems, he will work you harder. He is a great person to be around. On the court he is serious about business. Off the court he is very caring and jokes around with you.”
“He is tough!” the New Yorker admitted of Barnes. “If you finish sloppy, he will let you practice longer.”
Despite his rocky path to Knoxville, Ziegler has learned the importance of setting goals and being realistic
“When you have been with someone who has been around a long time. such as Coach Barnes. You listen to him and believe in the team. Talk with the team about the goals and where you are headed as a team!”
