Do you think the Volunteers will be better or worse this upcoming season? — Charles T.
I’d say the Vols will be about the same, for better or worse.
On the one hand, they lost their top two scorers, freshman guards Jaden Springer and Keon Johnson, as well as a third starter, 6-6 senior forward Yves Pons, who was one of the top defenders in the SEC. On the other hand, Rick Barnes is bringing in another stellar recruiting class highlighted by 6-1 point guard Kennedy Chandler, a McDonald’s All-American who will be handed the keys to the offense from Day 1. Chandler’s arrival will allow 6-3 junior guard Santiago Vescovi to play off the ball. Barnes also added one of the plum transfers of this cycle, Auburn guard Justin Powell, and will bring back Victor Bailey, a 6-4 senior who was third on the team in scoring at 10.9 points per game. Barnes still has two scholarships to fill if he wants to. Then there’s 6-6 junior guard Josiah-Jordan James, whose profile is becoming unicorn-like: the slowly developing McDonald’s All-American who stays in one place for three or four years.
The best news Tennessee got was that 6-9 forward John Fulkerson will return for his super senior year. Then again, Fulkerson was a disappointment last season, partly due to injuries, which was a big reason Tennessee did not live up to expectations. The Vols started out No. 12 in the AP’s preseason poll, but after a fourth-place finish in the SEC and a first-round loss to Oregon State in the NCAA Tournament, they ended the season unranked. There were some good pieces there and everyone tried to make it work, but it just never clicked. The freshmen were not ready to carry the offensive load, which put too much pressure on the defense. Hopefully with the addition of Chandler, the offense will function much better next season. So if you’re a Vols fan like Charles, you’ve got reason to be optimistic, but after last season it would be wise to keep your expectations reasonable.
I’d say the Vols will be about the same, for better or worse.
On the one hand, they lost their top two scorers, freshman guards Jaden Springer and Keon Johnson, as well as a third starter, 6-6 senior forward Yves Pons, who was one of the top defenders in the SEC. On the other hand, Rick Barnes is bringing in another stellar recruiting class highlighted by 6-1 point guard Kennedy Chandler, a McDonald’s All-American who will be handed the keys to the offense from Day 1. Chandler’s arrival will allow 6-3 junior guard Santiago Vescovi to play off the ball. Barnes also added one of the plum transfers of this cycle, Auburn guard Justin Powell, and will bring back Victor Bailey, a 6-4 senior who was third on the team in scoring at 10.9 points per game. Barnes still has two scholarships to fill if he wants to. Then there’s 6-6 junior guard Josiah-Jordan James, whose profile is becoming unicorn-like: the slowly developing McDonald’s All-American who stays in one place for three or four years.
The best news Tennessee got was that 6-9 forward John Fulkerson will return for his super senior year. Then again, Fulkerson was a disappointment last season, partly due to injuries, which was a big reason Tennessee did not live up to expectations. The Vols started out No. 12 in the AP’s preseason poll, but after a fourth-place finish in the SEC and a first-round loss to Oregon State in the NCAA Tournament, they ended the season unranked. There were some good pieces there and everyone tried to make it work, but it just never clicked. The freshmen were not ready to carry the offensive load, which put too much pressure on the defense. Hopefully with the addition of Chandler, the offense will function much better next season. So if you’re a Vols fan like Charles, you’ve got reason to be optimistic, but after last season it would be wise to keep your expectations reasonable.
