NCAA contends Zeigler could be the pioneer to compete in five Division I seasons spanning over five consecutive years
Fighting Words: Zakai Zeigler vs. the NCAA in Court
Zakai Zeigler's legal team fires back at the NCAA, accusing them of avoidance tactics and outdated legal arguments in the defensive player's bid to play a fifth season for the University of Tennessee. On May 20, 2025, Zeigler sued the NCAA over its rules limiting him to four seasons, claiming it as an unlawful restraint of trade.
The NCAA's latest move, a request to deny Zeigler's preliminary injunction, was compared to a misdirection by Zeigler's attorneys as "cherry-picked" or "fundamentally flawed" data was used. The legal team asserted that the NCAA was defending illegitimate actions by relying on outdated legal arguments and misrepresenting the current state of the law [1][2].
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia's case, referenced in the NCAA's motion, offers some insight. Pavia, a junior college starter, was granted another year to play his fifth season. However, the NCAA's decision to appeal this ruling doesn't bode well for Zeigler [1][3].
The NCAA claims that granting Zeigler another season would set a precedent, allowing numerous players to exceed their eligibility and potentially taking spots from incoming freshmen. Additionally, the NCAA suggests that Zeigler, who has already graduated, isn't NFL-ready, as he hasn't been considered a viable prospect [1][2].
Zeigler's team argues in favor of the elimination of boundaries between NCAA compensation rules subject to the Sherman Act and eligibility rules unaffected by compensation [1][2]. The NCAA maintains that college athletics serves as a stepping stone to further opportunities, not the end goal itself [1][2].
The U.S. Department of Justice has also intervened in the case, urging the federal judge to apply a flexible rule of reason approach to Zeigler's injunction request and consider the potential benefits to the athlete market [1][2].
The Supreme Court's 9-0 ruling in Alston v. NCAA in June 2021 opens the door for compensation in college sports, a decision that the high court agreed with a lower court's finding that the NCAA's restrictions on education-related benefits were in violation of antitrust laws [1].
AP College Basketball updates and the AP Top 25 College Basketball Poll can be found here: link and link. Stay tuned for further developments in the Zakai Zeigler vs. NCAA case [1][4][5].
- The court case between Zakai Zeigler and the NCAA continues as Zeigler's legal team challenges the NCAA's outdated legal arguments and avoidance tactics.
- The NCAA's request to deny Zeigler's preliminary injunction has been labeled as a misdirection by Zeigler's attorneys, who argue that it is based on cherry-picked or flawed data.
- While Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia was granted another year to play his fifth season, the NCAA's decision to appeal this ruling might not bode well for Zakai Zeigler's case.
- Zeigler's team argues that the NCAA's eligibility rules should be eliminated, drawing a parallel between these rules and restrictions on education-related benefits that violate antitrust laws, according to a Supreme Court ruling in 2021.
- As this case progresses, updates on college basketball, including the AP Top 25 College Basketball Poll, can be found online, along with further developments in the Zakai Zeigler vs. NCAA court case.
