Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler talked to the media in Nashville on Wednesday ahead of the 2023 SEC tournament.
With Zeigler having a torn ACL from the Arkansas game, he will be out for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.
In the 2023 season before his injury, Zeigler was named as one of the 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award, Second-Team All-SEC honors, and named to the SEC All-Defensive Team for the second season in a row.
When the media asked Zeigler about his thoughts after being injured and out for the rest of the season, he said this:
“I was just thinking in my head how can I be as positive to the team as possible, because I knew once I went down, it was going to be a bad injury. I wasn’t sure at the time what it would be, but I was thinking how can I help the guys no matter what the situation, no matter what the injury is. Staying positive, talking to them as much as possible and letting them know what I see on the sideline. It’s a whole different ball game looking at the game from the sideline, rather than on the court. You see more things, you see all 10 guys on the floor easier.”
“It’s been a little bit challenging. I’m just trying to stay around my teammates and they’re keeping me positive. It hasn’t been as bad, but it’s tough. I want to be on the court and I want to be out there playing. Everything is God’s plan, so I’m just staying the course. As of right now, I’m not really 1,000 percent sure. I plan on being back next season before we start.”
Photo: Reuters
Source: VolsWire
