A Lady Vols basketball player was arrested and it took over a year for it to become public

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.

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 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.

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