Pistons to Land Award-Winning Guard in First Move After NBA Draft

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sahil Goswami | Last updated Jun 27, 2025 7:30 AM ET

The 2025 NBA Draft wrapped up with plenty of surprises and standout moments. The Detroit Pistons selected Tennessee Volunteers' Chaz Lanier at No. 37 overall and were one of several teams to walk away with value picks. But they weren’t done yet. Just hours after the draft, they made another strong move, picking up undrafted Tennessee point guard Zakai Zeigler for their Summer League squad.

Zeigler, a 5-foot-9 spark plug out of Wyandanch, New York, wasn’t selected in either round of the draft. But that doesn’t reflect the kind of impact player he was in college. The Tennessee fan favorite ended his senior year averaging 13.6 points and 7.4 assists per game, the 2024-25 season. This is the fourth-highest single-season assist mark in Vols history.

And his legacy runs even deeper. Zeigler leaves Knoxville as the school’s all-time leader in assists (747) and steals (215). His 747 dimes rank third in SEC history, and he’s tied for eighth in steals. A three-time All-SEC selection, he also became the only player in conference history to make the All-Defensive team four times and won SEC Defensive Player of the Year twice.

Tennessee's Zakai Zeigler will play summer league with the Detroit Pistons, a source told ESPN. pic.twitter.com/pHE1NwK33l
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 27, 2025

His journey to this point is nothing short of incredible. From train-hopping in high school to playing his way into a scholarship after a breakout Peach Jam performance, Zeigler’s grit made him a Vols icon. Even after losing his home in a fire in 2023, the support poured in with a GoFundMe raising over $360,000.

Zeigler now gets a chance to prove himself again this time with the Pistons. He’ll join Chaz Lanier and look to earn his spot on the roster.

Tennessee basketball's backcourt is going to play together to begin their professional careers.

After the Pistons drafted Chaz Lanier, Detroit is also reportedly going to roster Zakai Zeigler for the NBA Summer League.

➡️ https://t.co/bttPofPTsn pic.twitter.com/g17FE1nXkY
— Ryan Sylvia (@RyanTSylvia) June 27, 2025