Nothing was ever said publicly about the arrest of a Lady Vols basketball player until a report surfaced this week.
A Lady Vols standout was arrested last summer in Georgia and it somehow never became public until a report surfaced this week.
USA Today's Mitchell Northam reported on Wednesday that former Tennessee forward Lazaria "Zee" Spearman was arrested on June 13, 2025, in Lawrenceville, GA on charges of speeding, possession of alcohol in an open container and driving under the influence of alcohol.
From USA Today: According to the police report, Spearman was driving an estimated speed of 100 miles per hour in a 2016 white Chevrolet Malibu in a 55 mph zone. Spearman also told the responding officer she had smoked three grams of marijuana that day. She did not pass the field sobriety tests administered by police and had a blood alcohol content of 0.104% at the scene, well above the legal limit of 0.08%. Police said they found a bottle of Don Julio tequila in her car, as well as a case for storing marijuana. At the jail, where police administered the state chemical test for alcohol, Spearman had a blood alcohol content of 0.073%, slightly below the legal limit.
Spearman was arrested again in Georgia earlier this month and charged with speeding and driving with a suspended license.
According to Northam, Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell was aware of Spearman's arrest last summer.
"We are aware of the matter from last season. It was handled internally," said a Tennessee spokesperson in a statement to the Knoxville News-Sentinel .
Spearman played in 30 games for the Lady Vols last season and averaged 10.2 points per game. She was selected by the Dallas Wings in this year's WNBA Draft, but she was waived before appearing in a game.
Tennessee forward Zee Spearman (11) is recognized by Kim Caldwell during senior day festivities before the start of the NCAA college basketball game against Vanderbilt on Mar. 1, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Tennessee dismissed forward Ruby Whitehorn before the 2025-26 season after multiple arrests that resulted in charges related to possession of marijuana and domestic assault.
It's unclear how and why Spearman's arrests flew under the radar.
The Lady Vols will have a whole new roster in 2026-27 as Caldwell looks to leave the issues from last season in the past.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: A Lady Vols basketball player was arrested and it took over a year for it to become public
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