Two-time SEC defensive player of the year Zakai Zeigler is suing the NCAA over rules limiting him to four seasons in a five-year window as an unlawful restraint of trade under both federal and Tennessee laws.

Zeigler’s lawsuit was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. The point guard played four seasons at Tennessee, leading the Volunteers to consecutive Elite Eight berths before graduating earlier this month.

The Vols went 109-36 during Zeigler’s time with the school. He was a third-team All-American this season, which ended with Tennessee’s loss to eventual national runner-up Houston in the Elite Eight.

“We have requested a preliminary injunction to allow Zakai to compete in the upcoming season while pursuing his graduate studies,” according to a statement from the Garza Law Firm and Litson PLLC. “We look forward to a swift resolution of this matter so that Zakai can begin preparing for next season.”

The NCAA said in a statement the association fully supports athletes profiting from name, image and likeness along with other benefits and is working for such reforms, which includes a proposed $2.8 billion settlement of an antitrust lawsuit.

“A patchwork of different state laws, executive orders and court opinions make it challenging for any league to operate on a fair playing field, including at the conference level and that’s why partnering with Congress to develop a national standard would provide stability for student-athletes and schools everywhere,” the NCAA said.

This latest lawsuit against the NCAA notes Zeigler “diligently completed his undergraduate degree in four years” and graduated this month. That makes Zeigler’s lawsuit different from athletes who started careers at junior colleges or lower-division NCAA schools and are seeking a fifth season.

Yet the NCAA rule limiting athletes to four seasons during a five-year window keeps Zeigler from playing a fifth season and earning NIL money in “the most lucrative year of the eligibility window for the vast majority of athletes,” according to the lawsuit.

How much could Zeigler earn in a fifth season with the Vols? The lawsuit says between $2 million and $4 million for 2025-26, given his record and visibility playing in the SEC and based on projections from the Spyre Sports Group, the NIL collective associated with the university.

Athletes who redshirt or take five years to finish an undergraduate degree can earn NIL money each of their five years. The lawsuit also points to the NCAA’s redshirt system controlling who gets access to a fifth year of eligibility.

The lawsuit asks that the NCAA rule be declared a violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act and Tennessee’s Trade Practices Act.

If Zeigler were to win the lawsuit, it would set an unprecedented standard for athletes pursuing a fifth season of eligibility. Just six months ago, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia filed a lawsuit against the NCAA, arguing his junior college eligibility should not count against his Division I eligibility. Like in Zeigler’s case, the argument centered around the NCAA placing a cap on his potential NIL compensation.

A judge granted Pavia a preliminary injunction, allowing him an extra year of eligibility, which he is set to use in the upcoming 2025 college football season. 

This is a developing story.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Syracuse head football coach Fran Brown has become the first coach to sign with Network, a sports marketing agency. While high school and collegiate athletes build their brands to capitalize on name, image, and likeness opportunities during their playing careers and beyond, Brown has taken a similar approach as a coach.

Brown believes Network will be instrumental in helping build his brand off the field.

“I’m thrilled to work with Network and take the next step in building my personal brand, exploring new partnership opportunities and business ventures,” the Syracuse coach said.

Brown’s coaching philosophy has been essential to his success on the field and in his brand. He is well known for characterizing the acronym D.A.R.T., which stands for detailed, accountable, relentless, and tough. Network collaborated with Brown to produce merchandise with the acronym he sported on the sideline at the Orange’s Spring Game. The idea of Network partnering with a coach came from legendary sports agent David Falk.

“When we started Network, we weren’t pretending to, nor considering to get into the coaching world,” Network’s Chief Strategy Officer Doug Scott told Front Office Sports. “It really was the energy and essence of who Fran was, to where we decided that, yes, this is somebody that we really want to see be successful. And we think there’s a little bit of a void in the marketplace right now.”

Additionally, Coach Brown has gone viral on social media for his wildly entertaining quotes during his interviews. One in particular that had the college football buzzing was when he revealed how he handles losing football games.

“Like, when we lose, I ain’t even get in the shower til earlier this morning,” Brown told CBS Sports. “I just be mad. I just brush my teeth. It’s like I don’t deserve soap. I don’t deserve to do all that.

“Winners get washed,” he added. “I’m a loser, so I just kinda waited a little bit.”

Regardless of how you feel about how Brown holds himself accountable, he is authentic and holds himself and his players to a high standard of excellence. Syracuse finished 10-3 last season and capped off the 2024 season with a 52-35 victory over Washington State in the DIRECTV Holiday victory.

Like many college football coaches in the NIL era, Brown has been outspoken about how players navigate NIL and the transfer portal. Brown has voiced his opinions about how there should only be one portal period for players to transfer and how players should set aside a portion of their NIL earnings. Beyond Brown’s pursuit of expanding his brand, he hopes to have a continued influence over the evolving landscape of college athletics.

A familiar face will return to Allen Fieldhouse next season as a member of Bill Self’s staff. Jacque Vaughn has accepted a position on Self’s coaching staff. He will serve as an assistant coach and will fill the role vacated by Norm Roberts.

Vaughn — whose No. 11 jersey is retired by KU — will join the KU staff with over 10 years of coaching experience in the NBA, including two stints as a head coach. Vaughn most recently served as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets between 2022 and 2024. During his time coaching in the NBA, Vaughn worked for the San Antonio Spurs (assistant coach), Orlando Magic (head coach) and the Brooklyn Nets (assistant coach and later head coach).

“We’re very excited to welcome Jacque and (his wife) Laura into the fold,” Self said in a release. “I’ve known Jacque from a distance for several years now and have always admired how he has conducted himself professionally and how he has treated people. I think he will be an excellent addition to our program, while also serving as a great mentor, coach and representative of Kansas basketball. We lost an awesome coach in Norm (Roberts) when he retired but feel very fortunate to have replaced him with a tremendous Jayhawk that has a unique and impressive resume.”

As a player, Vaughn remains one of the greatest point guards to ever play at KU. He ended his KU career as the program’s all-time assist leader with 804 assists. At the time that also was the record in the Big Eight conference. He was a second-team All-American as a senior.

Vaughn was selected in the first round of the 1997 NBA Draft. He spent nine years in the NBA before he moved into coaching.

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Zakai Zeigler has never backed down on the court. Now, he’s taking his toughest shot yet—this time, at the NCAA.

The former Tennessee Volunteers star is suing college sports’ governing body, challenging a rule that he says unfairly blocks him from returning for a fifth season. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, argues that the NCAA’s “Four-Seasons Rule” is not only arbitrary but costly—potentially to the tune of $2 to $4 million in NIL earnings.

“This valuation reflects the market value of an upperclassman with a proven performance record and high visibility,” the complaint reads, citing projections from Spyre Sports Group, Tennessee’s NIL collective.

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Zeigler, who averaged 13.6 points and a league-leading 7.4 assists last season, led Tennessee to a second straight Elite Eight. He became the program’s all-time assists leader and the first SEC player ever to log 1,550 points, 700 assists, 350 rebounds, and 250 steals. Despite his accolades, Zeigler didn’t receive an invite to the NBA Draft Combine or G League Elite Camp.

Now, he wants to return to college hoops—and cash in on his peak value.

The suit takes aim at the NCAA’s policy that allows student-athletes five calendar years to play four seasons—unless they redshirt. Zeigler, who never redshirted, argues that this system unfairly penalizes players for choices made by coaches, not students.

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“All NCAA athletes should be eligible to compete and earn NIL compensation during each year of the five-year window—not just those selected to redshirt,” the complaint states.

Zeigler is represented by Litson PLLC and Garza Law Firm. The legal team is pushing for an injunction to let him play during the 2025–2026 season while pursuing a graduate degree.

“This is about fairness,” one NIL advisor familiar with the case said. “Zakai isn’t asking for extra eligibility—he’s asking to use the window the NCAA already gives, just like everyone else.”

If the court rules in Zeigler’s favor, the implications could rock the NCAA and redefine the market for upperclassmen athletes overnight.

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