Analyst Gary Parrish claims "it's never been tougher" for high school prospects to get into top programs amid super senior transfers

Former Tennessee player Zakai Zeigler won't return to college for a fifth year. The guard spent four years with the Volunteers and started over 80 games. He averaged 13.6 points, 7.4 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals on 40.4% shooting in his senior year.

Gary Parrish highlighted troubles high school players face due to the school's preference for experienced college transfers.

"I mean there's like top 100 guys signing with mid-major programs because they don't have high major offers anymore," Parrish said (at 40:28). "It's never been tougher for a high school basketball player to get into a power conference and play immediately than it is right now. Take Florida, a perfect example of pre-NIL transfer waivers - Florida would be replacing that backcourt with the best high school players they could or guys who were on their bench.

"Instead, they replace them with like proven high-level established college basketball players that will make Florida better than Florida otherwise would be. And it prevented high school players who otherwise might have been at a place like Florida from getting to a place like Florida."

Gary Parrish made a point about the transfer portal trend in CBB. St. John's, which is coming off a record-breaking season, went all out in the portal to rebuild for the next year. Florida State, Kentucky and other top schools showcased a similar strategy.

Why was Zakai Zeigler denied 5th-year eligibility?

The NCAA provides athletes with five years to fulfill four years of college eligibility. In Zakai Zeigler's case, the guard took to court having finished his four seasons with Tennessee.

His lawsuit asks the association for an additional playing year, claiming that the association is violating antitrust laws and hurting his NIL abilities.

"Plaintiff has failed to present sufficient evidence that the Four-Seasons Rule produces substantial anticompetitive effects in the market for student-athlete services and NIL compensation in Division I basketball," Judge Katherine Crytzer wrote in her decision.

Zakai Zeigler filed his lawsuit in the Eastern District of Tennessee. He highlighted that he earned $500,000 in the previous season. He claimed he could have garnered anywhere from $2 million to $4 million through NIL next year.