utdailybeacon
The college basketball landscape has shifted significantly in recent years, and Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes is leveraging the NCAA transfer portal to its fullest extent. With a roster that is almost entirely new, the Volunteers boast a blend of talent and fresh faces as the regular season gets underway. Here is a comprehensive look at the Vols' newly assembled squad.
Freshman Class
Tennessee welcomes one of the nation's top freshman classes, highlighted by Chris Washington Jr., the No. 1 player in the state of Tennessee. Washington, a 6-foot-9 small forward, scored over 2,000 points in high school and is known for his above-the-rim athleticism. He is expected to provide an immediate spark off the bench for a frontcourt in need of energy. Joining him are Ralph Scott, Manny Green, and Marquis Clark.
In July, Preseason Player of the Year nominee Juke Harris praised Scott as "one of the best freshmen I've ever seen," but Scott underwent left knee surgery in September and will be sidelined indefinitely. Green, a small forward from Cedar Grove High School in Georgia, averaged 27.7 points per game as a senior and broke the school's scoring record previously held by former Tennessee forward Reggie Johnson. Clark, from Whitney Young High School in Chicago, also holds his school's all-time scoring record and is regarded as one of Illinois' top players—an aggressive scorer who impacts the offense with and without the ball.
Transfer Additions
The identity of this year's Vols will revolve around the talent Barnes and his staff secured from the transfer portal, bringing in nine new players. ESPN ranked the class No. 1 nationally. Terrence Hill Jr., a 6-foot-2 junior point guard, joins after two seasons at VCU, where he earned First Team All-A-10 and Sixth Man of the Year honors while averaging 15 points and 2.8 assists. He is expected to lead the Tennessee offense.
Another key scorer is Wake Forest transfer Juke Harris, one of the nation's premier pure scorers last season. The 6-foot-7 junior averaged 21.4 points per game while shooting 33.2% from three and is drawing attention as a potential first-round NBA draft pick. Frontcourt additions include Miles Rubin and Braeden Lue. Rubin, from Loyola Chicago, averaged 2.3 blocks per game and established himself as one of the country's top shot blockers. Lue averaged 10.9 points and 5.3 rebounds at Kennesaw State while earning Conference USA All-Defensive Team honors. Christian Fermin, another frontcourt option, comes after four seasons at VCU. Vanderbilt transfer Jalen Washington, a 6-foot-10 paint presence, is still awaiting an NCAA eligibility decision.
The Vols also added Dai Dai Ames and Jalen Haralson from the ACC. Ames averaged 16.9 points per game and shot 37.6% from three in his junior season at California. Haralson, a 6-foot-7 interior presence, was one of the ACC's best freshmen last season, earning All-ACC Honorable Mention while averaging 16.2 points on 51.5% shooting. With ample size and mid-range scorers, Barnes sought a pure shooter in the portal and found one in Belmont transfer Tyler Lundblade, who averaged 15.6 points per game and shot 40.6% from three last season as one of the nation's top perimeter shooters.
Returning Players
The slimmest section of the roster is the returning players. Tennessee retained only two scholarship players from the 2025-26 team: DeWayne Brown II and Troy Henderson. Brown saw about 15 minutes per game last season and is expected to make a significant leap. The 6-foot-8 sophomore excels on the boards, and Barnes has praised him as a team leader. Henderson played limited minutes last year but is one of the few true point guards on the roster. He is battling through pain after April shoulder surgery and an injury to his other shoulder, but if healthy, his versatility with the ball could prove valuable alongside the numerous scorers around him.
Originally reported by utdailybeacon.