There was a lot of excitement last summer when five-star guard Kennedy Chandler officially signed with the Tennessee Vols.
So far, Chandler is as advertised. The Memphis native leads the Vols at 13.8 points per game. Chandler also leads the team in assists and steals.
Not much more can you ask if you’re a Tennessee fan.
While there was much fanfare surrounding Chandler’s decision to sign with the Vols, there was not much reaction from fans when guard Zakai Zeigler signed with Tennessee last summer.
That’s because Zeigler was an unrepentant three-star recruit from New York who only had offers from two other Power-5 programs (Boston College and Minnesota).
Zeigler, however, proved to be a revelation to the Vols. He brings a lot of energy and passion to the court and was an important contributor. Zeigler averages 8.8 points per game, 2.6 assists per game, and 1.8 steals per game. He is also the team’s best free-kick shooter with 83.9%.
Those are pretty good numbers for a player who was expected to turn red this season.
But while Zeigler was impressive, he was not as good as Chandler.
However, could Zeigler be the more important player for the Vols?
It sounds crazy at first. But CBS Sports College basketball insider Jon Rothstein thinks it’s a valuable debate.
Rothstein appeared on 104.5 The Zone’s JMart and Ramon on Wednesday and questioned the Chandler / Zeigler.
“So much hype, and for good reason, based on Kennedy Chandler entering the season for Tennessee,” Rothstein said. “But guys, how big is Zakai Zeigler?”
“I know Kennedy Chandler is going to the NBA, he’s going to make a professional career, but in Zakai Zeigler you have a guy who will be the face of this program. You have a guy, there’s going to be a scenario where he a recognizable piece with Tennessee will be … In college today, where we saw so much sales and the sport changed so much … who is the better recruiter? Is it Zakai Zeigler or is it Kennedy Chandler?
The better player is Chandler – he’s one of the most talented players Tennessee has ever signed.
But I think Rothstein is up to something when he suggests that Zeigler could be the more important recruit. Zeigler will be in Tennessee for four years. He will be the heart and soul of this team for next season. His four-year presence will be more important to the program than Chandler’s one year.
In the end, it’s just a great position for the Vols to be now. Debating whether a potential lottery pick or a three-star recruit was the better addition or not is a debate I’m sure many college basketball programs would like now.
Featured Image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
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