Former Tennessee standout Zakai Zeigler has renewed his legal fight against the NCAA following the organization’s adoption of the new 5-for-5 eligibility model.
Zeigler, who spent last season playing professionally in France after going undrafted, argues that the NCAA’s rule change supports his claim that athletes should not have been restricted to four seasons of competition within a five-year window. Rather than seeking another year of eligibility, however, he is asking for financial compensation.
According to the amended lawsuit, Zeigler believes he missed the opportunity to earn significant NIL income had the current eligibility rules been in place during his college career. The filing claims he could have made between $2 million and $4 million through NIL deals in an additional season at Tennessee and is seeking up to $12 million in damages.
The NCAA’s recent shift to a five-year participation model has sparked numerous legal challenges from current and former athletes, many of whom argue they were unfairly denied earning opportunities under the previous rules.
Zeigler has continued his professional basketball career overseas, most recently competing in France before preparing for a move to Germany. During a recent visit to Knoxville, he also participated in a pickup game featuring former Tennessee players against the current Volunteers roster.
His case adds to the growing list of lawsuits challenging NCAA eligibility policies as college athletics continues to adapt to the rapidly changing NIL landscape.
