Now with the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline behind us, the roster picture for college basketball next season is largely set. The big game of musical chairs for some of the biggest names in college hoops is over, and the Tennessee Volunteers were one of the biggest winners of the entire cycle.
Rick Barnes has used the transfer portal plenty over the past several seasons, but nothing like this. He was left with just two players from last year’s Elite Eight roster, and the further it went, the more apparent it became that that may have been the plan all along. We heard rumblings of Tennessee getting ready to open up the checkbook, and that they did.
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Tennessee ended up with a top two transfer portal class in the country, anchored by former Wake Forest star wing Juke Harris. The addition of Harris, one of the final things the staff had to get over the finish line, shot Tennessee up the recently updated rankings list for next season, according to ESPN.
The Volunteers came in at No. 6 in Jeff Borzello’s latest.
Over the past six seasons, Tennessee has ranked in the top five nationally in defensive efficiency five times. The highest the Vols ranked in offensive efficiency at KenPom during that stretch? No. 17. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see those roles reversed next season. Rick Barnes has amassed an alarming amount of offensive talent from the portal, headlined by Juke Harris (Wake Forest), Terrence Hill Jr. (VCU), Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame), Tyler Lundblade (Belmont) and Dai Dai Ames (California). If he can instill some level of defensive intensity in this group, the ceiling is incredibly high. — ESPN, Borzello
The talent is undeniable. The philosophy shift is too, departing from Barnes’ typical style of defense-first guards. It’s clear that the staff knows they need to score more points and have more go-to options on the floor. Now it’s just about finding out how they all work together, and as Borzello noted, getting them to buy in on the defensive end.
Tennessee checked in behind only Florida in the SEC, and were closely followed by Texas, which has also had a big offseason of additions. Arkansas was at No. 11, Alabama was 15th and Kentucky is up to 17th with the addition of Milan Momcilovic this week. Vanderbilt (19) and Missouri (21) also made the cut.
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