Rick Barnes believes Ethan Burg will bring “an edge” to Tennessee basketball as a late addition to the roster.
The Israeli guard signed with the Vols on July 24 after committing to Tennessee on July 18.
Advertisement
“We are excited for Ethan and his family to join Tennessee basketball,” Barnes said in a school release. “He is a confident young man who plays with an edge. Ethan is a talented combo guard with backcourt versatility who is excellent in transition and can really get to the basket off the bounce. He also has the ability to shoot the ball. Ethan’s experience playing high-level international basketball should help him make a smooth transition to the SEC.“
Burg has three years of eligibility to play at Tennessee based on the NCAA’s ruling on his standing. The 6 foot-3 guard spent the past two seasons playing professionally in Israel, which meant he lost one year of NCAA eligibility.
The 22-year-old played the past two seasons with Bnei PenLink Herzliya in Israel. He averaged 11 points, shooting 32.9% on 3-pointers. He shot 37.6% on 3-pointers last season, while averaging 11.1 points.
Burg is the ninth newcomer to Tennessee’s roster.
Advertisement
The Vols added senior guards Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Amaree Abram along with junior forward Jaylen Carey through the transfer portal.
ROSTER: Tennessee basketball’s roster is set for 2025-26. What to know about Rick Barnes’ Vols
UT signed five players in the 2025 class, which ranked No. 13 nationally.
Five-star prospect Nate Ament is the highest-ranked recruit in program history as the No. 4 recruit nationally. Tennessee signed four-star forward DeWayne Brown II and four-star guard Amari Evans in November. Three-star guard Troy Henderson signed in April. Henderson and Ament played AAU basketball together with Team Loaded 17U. French guard Clarence Massmaba signed with UT in late April.
Advertisement
The Vols return senior forward Felix Okpara, junior forwards Cade Phillips and JP Estrella and sophomore guard Bishop Boswell. Guards Grant Hurst and Campbell Duncan round out the roster.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee basketball: Ethan Burg, guard from Israel, signs with Vols
