In 16 professional seasons, Zilaal accumulated more championship medals (along with star point guard Ali Fazlee) and individual achievement awards than any other player in history.
He was a vital cog in the Maldives senior men's national basketball team from his final year in school all the way up to his retirement in 2019.
Throughout his 3-year stint at Kings BC, he would captain the team in every single season, while adding to his record breaking collection of winners' and top 5 players' medals.
Immediately after leading Kings BC to its first National Basketball Tournament success in 2018, Zila announced that the 2019 season would be his 16th and final as a player, both for club and country.
In his final season, he would end his domestic career by carrying Kings BC to an undefeated triumph in the MBA Championship, followed by a packed schedule of international tournaments and tours, representing his country as captain in every single game until he hung up his sneakers in December 2019.
[4] From the early stages of his playing career, Zilaal was heavily involved in the youth development programmes of the Maldives Basketball Association (MBA), through which he completed FIBA Coaching certifications and refresher courses, including a Level-2 licenses, and continued to train children and youths, including assignments as Head Coach of Iskandar School in domestic interschool tournaments, as well as through the Ballers Academy, of which he was a co-founder.
Sudden bursts of speed, tremendous court vision and scoring prowess meant that, before the start of the year-end National Tournament of 2003, he was scouted by the top clubs at the time, leading to him and his colleague Ahmed Afsan Rashad transferring to the all-conquering Victory SC.
The duo would go on to break all domestic and national team records, attaining iconic status as the most dominant back court in Maldives.
The following year would see the arrival of brilliant forward Ahmed Firash, who would go on to play with Zilaal for the rest of his domestic career.
Zilaal and most of his teammates would go on to launch T-Rex BC, a club that would be synonymous with outstanding achievement in Maldives for the next decade.
Zilaal, Afsan, Fazlee and Firash would all join the newly promoted Red Line Club (RLC).
[7] The arrival of RLC to Division 1 basketball in Maldives saw the birth of a long-standing on court rivalry with T-Rex BC.
The newly formed team, captained by Zilaal, made an immediate impact, reaching the finals of every single domestic tournament in its first year, including winning the National Basketball League.
In 2018, Kings would again repeat the feat of reaching the finals of every domestic competition, while going one better than the previous season in winning the National Basketball Tournament.
His final game was a celebration of his remarkable career, with his fans, teammates and family in attendance wearing "6:16" "#LastDance" "GOATZila" t-shirts dedicated to a basketball icon.
[15] Zilaal would also captain the Maldives to its best international result to date, runners-up of the 2016 FIBA Asia SABA Zone Qualification Tournament in Bangalore, India.
Other stalwarts of the national team who played alongside Zilaal across his illustrious career are his brother Ahmed Zabeer, brother-in-law Zakariyya Shiham and Ilyas Ibrahim.
Zilaal is also recognized by his regional rivals as one of the top guards and would always attract added attention in coaches' plans when facing the diminutive yet quick, sharpshooting Maldivians.
From the start of his playing career, Zilaal was active in the Maldives Basketball Association Youth Development Programme (YDP), as a coach.
He continues to serve in the public service at the Maldives Immigration, the organisation he joined 16 years ago as on leaving school.
With Zilaal at the helm, the Maldives Immigration has racked up numerous trophies in corporate, mercantile and office basketball leagues.
Zilaal's niece Ayesha Afkaar Mohamed Nasir recently made her national team debut and is among the brightest stars of the future in the women's game.
Throughout his 17-year career in the public service, he has amassed numerous qualifications in his field, and currently holds the position of Deputy Chief Immigration Officer.