How much did Tennessee Basketball help itself in the NCAA Transfer Portal? Enough to move up seven spots in KeynoteUSA’s Way Too Early Top 25 rankings for the 2024-25 season.
The Vols rose from 20th to 13th after KeynoteUSA updated its offseason rankings on Thursday.
Tennessee lost four players to the Transfer Portal at the youth center Jonas Aidoosecond year forward Tobe Awakaredshirt freshman guard Freddie Dilione V and redshirt freshman wing dj jefferson.
The Vols also added four players from the portal. North Florida Guard Chaz Lanier committed last Friday and signed on Saturday to complete the portal class. Hofstra transfer wing followed Darlinstone DubarCharlotte ahead Igor Milicic Jr. and Ohio State Center Felix Okpara.
Chaz Lanier Completes Tennessee Basketball’s NCAA Transfer Portal Class
Lanier averaged 19.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 33.4 minutes per game last season, shooting 51.0% from the field and 44.0% from the 3-point line. Dubar averaged a career-high 17.8 points per game in 33 games this season, shooting 53.9% from the floor and 39.9% from the 3-point line.
The 6-foot-10, 225-pound Milicic averaged 12.8 points and 8.5 rebounds as a junior this season at Charlotte, shooting 48.7% from the field and 37.6% from the 3-point line. Okpara, the 6-foot-11, 235-pound big man, averaged 6.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks at Ohio State.
Tennessee lost three fifth-year seniors, with Dalton Knecht, Josiah Jordan James and Santiago Vescovi all exhausting their eligibility. Rick Barnes returns Zakai Zeigler, Jordan Gainey and Jahmai Mashack for their senior seasons, along with the juniors in forwards JP Star and Cade Phillips Yet the Cam Carrthree rising sophomores.
Four star base Bishop Boswell He committed to Tennessee last September and signed with the Vols in November and is the only prep prospect in the program’s 2024 signing class.
Seven SEC teams ranked in KeynoteUSA’s Too Early Top 25
Other SEC teams in KeynoteUSA’s Top 25 Way Too Early were No. 2 Alabama, No. 11 Auburn, No. 12 Texas A&M, No. 16 Arkansas, No. 20 Florida and No. 22 Ole Miss.
“Dalton Knecht is gone, and with him goes Rick Barnes’ best offense in years,” KeynoteUSA’s Jeff Borzello wrote. “But if the most dynamic, three-point shooting offensive system remains in Knoxville, there should be a lot of optimism.
“The Volunteers also landed another potential mid-career transfer in Chaz Lanier from North Florida, who averaged 19.7 points and shot 44% from 3. Barnes will surround senior point guard Zakai Zeigler with a host of shooters and the Ohio State transfer Felix Okpara. he will anchor the interior defensively.”
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