​Atlanta defeated San Antonio 93-66 on Thursday in the NBA Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Spurs had three former Tennessee players in the contest, each contributing in different ways.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie started for the Spurs and logged 23 minutes of action. He finished with 12 points, six assists, three rebounds, two steals, and one block. Gillespie went 5-of-13 from the floor and 2-of-6 from three-point range. During his time with Tennessee, he appeared in 37 games, all as a starter. He is the program’s single-season leader in steals with 79, and he also posted 201 assists, hit 103 three-pointers, and became the first Vol to reach 650 points and 200 assists in a single season.
Igor Milicic Jr. played six minutes for San Antonio, recording two points, four rebounds, and one steal. He went 1-for-4 from the field. Milicic Jr. joined Tennessee for the 2024-25 season after transferring from Charlotte and Virginia. In his lone season with the Volunteers, he played in 37 games and started all of them, tying for the fourth-most starts in program history.
Zakai Zeigler also saw two minutes of action for the Spurs, missing his only field-goal attempt. Zeigler played at Tennessee from 2021 to 2025 and is the school’s all-time leader in assists and steals. He started for Tennessee for three years and averaged 11.3 points and 5.4 assists per game across four seasons. Zeigler’s 747 career assists rank third in SEC history, and his 215 career steals place eighth in conference history.
The game featured other notable moments and crossovers as several former Vols remained in the mix for NBA opportunities through the Summer League process. The Spurs’ roster included Gillespie, Milicic Jr., and Zeigler, all looking to showcase their skills and prove they belong at the next level. The event served as an early glimpse of how Tennessee alumni continue to impact professional basketball, both in Summer League play and beyond.
On the broader landscape, the Summer League showcases frequently highlight how players from major college programs like Tennessee translate their collegiate production into the professional arena, with teams using the event to evaluate potential signings, two-way contracts, and invite opportunities for roster spots. The Vols’ legacy in the NBA continues to be reinforced by their alumni who perform in these exhibitions, and the attention from fans and analysts remains strong as the summer circuit unfolds.
This page originally appeared on Vols Wire and covers three former Tennessee players who participated in the Spurs-Hawks NBA Summer League matchup for SEO considerations. It aims to provide a comprehensive recap of the performances and to highlight the enduring impact of Tennessee’s program on the professional stage.