Top 5 Tennessee Basketball Recruits

In recent years the Tennessee Volunteers basketball team has been on the rise, thanks in large part to their strong recruiting efforts. Here are 5 of the top recruits from the state of Tennessee that the Volunteers are counting on to help them continue their upward trend:

1. five-star small forward Keon Johnson from Santa Fe, TN. Johnson is ranked as the number 2 small forward and the number 9 overall player in the nation by 247Sports. He is considered a versatile player who can score from anywhere on the floor.

2. five-star point guard Kennedy Chandler from Bartlett, TN. Chandler is ranked as the number 1 point guard and the number 4 overall player in the nation by 247Sports. He is an elite level playmaker with great Court Vision and passing ability.

3. four-star shooting guard Jaden Springer from Knoxville, TN. Springer is ranked as the number 1 shooting guard and the number 11 overall player in the nation by 247Sports. He is a dangerous scorer who can also create his own shot off the dribble.

4. four-star Power Forward Malcolm Dandridge from Memphis, TN. Dandridge is ranked as the number 2 power forward and the number 25 overall player in the nation by 247Sports. He is a physical presence in the paint who can rebound and block shots at a high level.

5. four-star center Jonas Aidoo from Nashville, TN. Aidoo is ranked as the number 3 center and the number 42 overall player in the nation by 247Sports. He is a strong post presence with Good footwork and soft hands around the basket.

Who are the top 5 Tennessee Basketball recruits?

1. 5-star point guard Josiah James
2. 5-star small forward Davonte Gaines
3. 4-star power forward Drew Pember
4. 4-star center Uros Plavsic
5. 3-star shooting guard D.J. Jeffries

Why these 5 recruits are the top for Tennessee Basketball

Tennessee’s Basketball Recruiting class is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation according to 247Sports. That’s thanks in large part to the five 5-star recruits that Head Coach Rick Barnes has landed.

Here’s a look at why each of these 5-star recruits is considered one of the Top Players in the country and what they’ll bring to the Volunteers Basketball Program

1. Matthew Hurt – One of the most versatile scorers in the country, Hurt can hurt teams from anywhere on the court. He’s an excellent shooter with range beyond the three-point line and he can also put the ball on the floor and get to the basket. His combination of size, skill, and athleticism makes him a tough matchup for anyone.

2. Josiah James – Another versatile scorer, James is a lefty who can Score from inside and out. He’s an excellent rebounder for his size and has the strength and athleticism to finish above the rim. He’s also a very good passer and has great vision on the court.

3. Keon Johnson – One of the most explosive athletes in the country, Johnson is an elite level defender with great length and quickness. He can guard multiple positions and has all the tools to be a shutdown defender at the college level. On offense, he’s extremely fast in transition and is a highlights reel dunker.

4. DJ Jeffries – A long and athletic wing, Jeffries is a very good shooter with range beyond the Three-Point Line He’s also a solid rebounder and has shownthe ability to handlethe ball well for his size. His length and athleticism make him a tough matchup on both ends of the court.

5 Sackett 5: “Best Big Man In The Country” – A dominant force in The paint, Sackett is a true back-to-the-basket center who is nearly impossible to stop around The rimSackett Is Also An Exceptional Rebounder On Both Ends Of The Court And A Solid Shot BlockerSackett Has Great Footwork In The Post Which Allows Him To Score Against Bigger And More Physical Opponents

How these 5 recruits fit into the Tennessee basketball system

In recent years the University of Tennessee’s Basketball team has had difficulty recruiting top talent. However, with a new coach and a new system in place, the Volunteers have been able to secure five highly ranked recruits for the upcoming season Here is a look at how these five recruits fit into the Tennessee Basketball System

Forwards:
-Jeremiah Martin: Martin is a 6’7″ forward from Memphis, Tennessee. He is a versatile player who can play both inside and outside. Martin is a good rebounder and has the ability to score in transition.
-Yves Pons: Pons is a 6’8″ forward from France. He is an athletic player who can play both inside and outside. Pons is a good shot blocker and has the ability to shoot threes.

Guards:
-Jordan Bone: Bone is a 6’3″ guard from Nashville, Tennessee. He is a pure point guard who excels in setting up his teammates for scoring opportunities. Bone is also a good shooter and can score in transition.
-Kyle Alexander: Alexander is a 6’11” center from Canada. He is a physical player who can bang with the big men inside. Alexander is also a good shot blocker and rebounder.
-Lamonte Turner: Turner is a 6’4″ guard from Flint, Michigan. He is an explosive scorer who can get hot from three-point range Turner is also a good defender and has the ability to create turnovers.

The impact these 5 recruits will have on Tennessee Basketball

The Tennessee Volunteers have had a great offseason, landing five impact recruits.

Entering his second season, head coach Rick Barnes has put together a talented roster. The Volunteers finished last season with a 15-19 record, but expectations are higher for the upcoming campaign.

The team’s five new recruits – guard Davonte Gaines, center Uros Plavsic, forward Olivier Nkamouhou, wing D.J. Jeffries and guard Josiah James – are all expected to make an immediate impact.

Gaines is a 6-foot-6 guard from Queens, New York. A three-star recruit, he chose Tennessee over Seton Hall and UConn. He is known for his powerful dunks and has the potential to be a star in the SEC.

Plavsic is a 7-foot center from Serbia. He is considered one of the best international prospects in the class of 2019 and should provide immediate help in the post for the Volunteers.

Nkamouhou is a 6-foot-9 forward from France. He is considered a raw prospect but has loads of potential. He gives Barnes another athletic big man to work with.

Jeffries is a 6-foot-7 wing from Olive Branch Mississippi. He was previously committed to Kentucky before decomitting and choosing Tennessee. He gives the Volunteers another scoring option on the wing.

James is a 6-foot point guard from Charleston, South Carolina He was ranked as high as No. 13 in the ESPN 100 before suffering a broken wrist earlier this year. He provides much needed help at point guard and should be one of the best freshmen in the SEC next season.

What other schools are recruiting these 5 players?

In addition to Tennessee, these five basketball recruits are also being recruited by the following schools:

1. Duke
2. UNC
3. Kentucky
4. Indiana
5. Kansas

How did these 5 players fare in their high school careers?

In high school these five players were some of the best in the country. They all had successful careers, and they all went on to play college basketball Here’s a look at how they fared in their high school careers.

1. Tyler Smith – Tyler was a highly touted recruit, and he lived up to the hype. He was a four-time All-State player, and he won a state championship his senior year. He was also named Mr. Basketball in Tennessee his senior year.

2. Dane Bradshaw – Dane was another highly touted recruit, and he also had a great career in high school He was a three-time All-State player, and he won two State Championships He was also named Mr. Basketball in Tennessee his senior year.

3. Brandon Crump – Brandon was a great player in high school but he didn’t get the same attention as Tyler and Dane. He was a two-time All-State player, and he won one state championship

4. Ron Slay – Ron was one of the best players in the country his senior year, but he didn’t get much attention because he played at a small school. He was named Mr. Basketball in Tennessee his senior year, and he led his team to a state championship that year.

5. Cezary Baskowski – Cezary was an imports player from Poland, and he had a great career at an American high school He wasn’t eligible for Mr.. Basketball because he wasn’t from Tennessee, but he still had a great career nonetheless

What are the expectations for these 5 players at Tennessee?

The class of 2018 for Tennessee is ranked as the 4th best recruiting class in the nation by ESPN This class is made up of:

-5-star point guard recruit, Josiah-Jordan James
-5-star shooting guard recruit, Keon Johnson
-4-star Small Forward recruit, D.J. Jeffries
-4-star power forward recruit, Drew Pember
-3-star center recruit, Connor Vanover

Josiah-Jordan James is the highest ranked player in Tennessee’s 2018 class and the only 5-star recruit. He is ranked as the 9th best player in the nation by ESPN. Keon Johnson is also a highly touted prospect, coming in at 18th nationally. The rest of the commits are all ranked within the top 150 players in their respective positions.

The Volunteers finished last season with a record of 26-9 and made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament before losing to Loyola Chicago With most of their Key Players returning, including SEC Player of the year Admiral Schofield and fellow all-conference performer Grant Williams expectations will be high for this team next season. With such a strong Recruiting Class coming in, it will be interesting to see how Head Coach Rick Barnes utilizes all of his talent.

What are the challenges these 5 players will face at Tennessee?

The Tennessee Volunteers have managed to secure five top recruits for the upcoming Basketball season However, these five players will all face different challenges when they suit up for the Vols. Let’s take a look at what some of those challenges might be.

1. point guard website Memphis, Tenn. native Alex Lomax was the only one of Tennessee’s five recruits who was not rated as a consensus four- or five-star prospect. He’ll have to work hard to prove that he belongs on the court with some of the higher-rated players on the team.

2. shooting guard Jordan Bowden is coming in as a highly touted recruit, but he’ll have to battle for playing time at a crowded shooting guard position. He’ll need to show that he can be a consistent scoring threat if he wants to see significant minutes on the court.

3. small forward There isn’t much question about Yves Pons’ talent level, but he may have difficulty adjusting to the physicality of college basketball He’s also coming off of an injury, so there will be some rust that he’ll need to work through as well.

4. power forward Five-star recruit Derrick Walker has all the tools to be a dominant force in the paint, but he’ll need to add some muscle mass before he’s ready to bang against some of the bigger frontcourts in the SEC.

5 center Five-star recruit David McCormack comes in as one of the highest-rated recruits in Tennessee history, but he’ll still need to earn his way onto the court. He’ll be competing against established big men like Kyle Alexander and Admiral Schofield for playing time.

What are the strengths of these 5 players?

In order for a team to be successful, each player has to understand and play their role. When it comes to recruiting, a lot of attention is placed on getting the “5 star” recruits. While they may have the potential to be Great players they are not always the best fit for a team. Star ratings are based largely on potential and do not always reflect how a player will fit into a team’s system. With that being said, here are the top 5 Tennessee Basketball Recruits according to 247Sports as of August 19th, 2020:

5. Davonte Gaines – 3 star Shooting Guard
Davonte Gaines is a 6’4” shooting guard from Charlotte, North Carolina He is known for his shooting ability and his ability to score in a variety of ways. He is also a good rebounder for his size.

4. Xavier Johnson – 3 star Point Guard
Xavier Johnson is a 6’0” point guard from Seattle, Washington. He is quick and shifty with the ball and is very good at getting to the basket and finishing around the rim. He is also a good three-point shooter.

3. Kennedy Chandler – 5 star Point Guard
Kennedy Chandler is a 6’1” point guard from Bolingbrook, Illinois. He is one of the highest rated recruits in the country and is known for his elite level passing ability and vision. He sees the court very well and always seems to make the right play.

2. Dylan Cardwell – 4 star Center
Dylan Cardwell is a 6’10” center from Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is a very good rebounder and shot blocker. He has great timing on his blocks and alters a lot of shots when he isn’t able to get clean blocks. On offense, he has good footwork around the basket and finishes well with both hands around the rim.

1 Jaden Springer – 5 star Shooting Guard
Jaden Springer is a 6’4” shooting guard from Rock Hill, South Carolina He can score in many different ways and excels at getting to the basket and finishing around the rim despite not being the biggest guard in terms of size or strength..

Top 5 Tennessee Basketball Recruits