It may take a village to replace former Tennessee Basketball point guard Zakai Zeigler. If so, the Vols are well on their way.
Replacing Zeigler is no easy task. He’s been the heart and soul of the Vols for most of his time since arriving on campus in 2021. However, his production shouldn’t be all that hard to match.
Zeigler averaged just 13.6 points per game and 7.4 assists per contest. That’s doable. Finding a player to fill the leadership void left by Zeigler will be the toughest challenge. The Vols should have options in that regard.
Tennessee received a commitment from Maryland guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie. That might just do the trick. Gillespie was a third-team All Big 10 player last season, averaging 14.7 points per game along with 4.8 assists. He can score, but can he lead like Zeigler? That will be tough. The Vols would likely be pleased if Gillespie can just match those scoring and assist numbers. Some defense wouldn’t hurt either.
Gillespie, who is from Greeneville, Tenn., put up a 3.5 percent steal rate in all of his three collegiate seasons. Zeigler’s steal rate? The same at 3.5-percent.
If Gillespie doesn’t work out or, more likely, plays well next season and then moves onto the NBA, Tennessee coach Rick Barnes has the perfect player to mold with point guard Troy Henderson, who is from John Marshall High School in Richmond, Va. Just a three-star prospect, Henderson probably isn’t ready to lead the Vols as soon as he arrives on campus. Just give him some time with Barnes. He’ll be ready eventually if history is any true indicator.
It’s worth noting that Gillespie can shoot even though he’s considered a true point guard. The rising senior shot 41-percent from the three-point arc last season for Maryland. He spent the two previous seasons at Belmont.
The Vols will be undergoing a major overhaul during the offseason. Tennessee has to replace Zeigler as well as fellow guards Jordan Gainey and Jahmai Mashack. Don’t be surprised if the Vols look to add another guard from the transfer portal in the coming days.
Tennessee has five commitments/signees for the upcoming class: Gillespie, Henderson, transfer center Jaylen Carter from Vanderbilt, guard Amari Evans from Overtime Elite in Atlanta and center DeWayne Brown from Hoover (Ala.) High School.
Landing Gillespie will most likely prove to be the Vols’ most deft move in the upcoming class. Depending on who you ask, the 6-foot-1, 186-pound guard was either the best overall player in the transfer portal or close to it. At worst, Gillespie is considered a solid, four-star prospect who could bloom into a star.
Tennessee hasn’t proven it can simply replace Zeigler without a hiccup. However, the Vols are aggressively trying to do so. That’s a credit to Barnes, who apparently isn’t retiring anytime soon. And even if he does, he’s leaving the cupboard full of talent.
