Tennessee hasn’t seen anywhere near the amount of roster changes that other programs have seen during the transfer portal era, but they made up for it this offseason. The program’s veteran mainstays Santiago Vescovi and Josiah-Jordan James saw their eligibility expire, while Dalton Knecht will head to the NBA.
And on top of that, big contributors Jonas Aidoo and Tobe Awaka hit the transfer portal, clearing plenty of minutes in the frontcourt. Developing young guards Freddie Dilione and DJ Jefferson also left through the portal.
This is the era we live in now and the Tennessee staff was prepared with a plan. Rick Barnes responded by adding four veterans out of the transfer portal and very quickly turned this roster into one that can compete for the SEC once again.
Chaz Lanier (19.7 ppg at North Florida), Darlinstone Dubar (17.8 ppg at Hofstra), Igor Milicic (12.8 ppg at Charlotte) and Felix Okpara (6.4 rebounds, 2.4 blocks per game) join the program with a lot of experience.
How will all this be? Let’s dive in.
guard point
Zakai Zeigler
Tennessee’s undisputed leader returns to his same role this season. The New York native was Tennessee’s second-leading scorer last year with 11.8 points per game. Zeigler saw increases in three-point shooting and assists, managing over 31 minutes per game. That playing time will only increase from here, especially considering Zeigler won’t be dealing with ACL rehab this offseason.
The only question will be who handles the ball when Zeigler is off the court, but Tennessee now has a few options to fill that role.
Shooting guard
Chaz Lanier
Jahmai Mashack
Jordan Gainey
Cameron Carr
Tennessee made a big splash last week, most likely landing their final rotation piece in Chaz Lanier. The former North Florida guard averaged nearly 20 points per game and shot 44 percent from three-point range.
“(Lanier) has already proven to be one of the most efficient scorers in college basketball and we believe his ability to put the ball in the basket from all over the court will translate well to the SEC,” Barnes said. “Chaz wants to help us win another SEC championship, in addition to competing for a national title. It is clear that his goals and his mentality mesh well with the rest of the guys in our program and this fits perfectly.”
Lanier forms a potent offensive and defensive combination with Jahmai Mashack, who continues to improve year after year. Mashack will see plenty of minutes as Tennessee’s primary defender, while he will also likely see time at point guard when Zeigler sits down.
Jordan Gainey and Cameron Carr will give Rick Barnes more shots off the bench. Gainey has also handled minutes at the point guard spot with Zeigler out.
front hybrid
Darlinstone Dubar
Igor Milicic
This is where things get interesting from a lineup building standpoint. Milicic is 6-10, sure, but he’s more than just a big frame. He is a shooter with ball-handling ability, which will make for some interesting offensive sets this season. Tennessee can have three shooters in the starting lineup capable of averaging 40 percent from three-point range, and two of them will be 6-8 or taller.
For Dubar, he appears to fit perfectly into a small forward role, utilizing a 6-8 frame to perhaps fill a similar role to the one Josiah-Jordan James played over the past three seasons. Tennessee will have the ability to throw a lot of length and shoot you from the 3 and 4 spots, even more than last season. The Tennessee staff hopes this makes up for the loss of Dalton Knecht’s ridiculous production.
Front track
Felix Okpara
JP Star
Cade Phillips
Everyone assumed Tennessee would be ready to return with Jonas Aidoo and Tobe Awaka here, but it turned out that wasn’t the case. Both chose to try the portal and both chose to take advantage of opportunities elsewhere. This left a considerable vacancy in the squad, part of which will be helped by the incorporation of Milicic.
With only Estrella and Phillips on the roster, Tennessee went out and got a true rim protector to replace Aidoo. Former Ohio State center Felix Okpara isn’t the offensive threat Aidoo was, but he is a step up on defense. Okpara had 83 blocks last season (4.0 per 40 min) for the Buckeyes, and considering all the offense the Vols have added to the roster this offseason, he should fit well at the fifth spot.
Tennessee will get some development from Estrella, who showed us some flashes down the stretch. Phillips will play a depth role, hoping to earn some minutes as another posting option.
Note on scholarship status: Tennessee still has two spots available. However, it’s unlikely they’ll try to add another big contributor from the transfer portal. These will likely be filled with one or two prep prospects, just as the Vols have done in the past with Zeigler and Awaka.
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