With the commitment of Chaz Lanier, a clearer view of Tennessee basketball's roster for the 2024-25 season has been formed.
Here's a run down of the scholarship players on roster for next season including what they produced last season and what they'll bring to the table this year.
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RETURNERS
The face of Tennessee basketball next season will be Zakai Zeigler. The 5-foot-9 point guard enters his senior season coming off a year where he won SEC Defensive Player of the Year and was named to the All-Conference First Team. He will be the starting point guard next season and one of the main scoring options.
2023-24 STATS:
Pts - 11.8
Reb - 2.8
Ast - 6.1
Stl - 1.7
FG% - 39.3%
3FG% - 34.4%
Alongside Zeigler as one of the best defenders in the conference and country is Jahmai Mashack. He has spent some time in the starting lineup in his career but has mostly come off the bench. As a senior, he may be in line to enter the starting lineup.
2023-24 STATS:
Pts - 4.5
Reb - 3.1
Ast - 1.3
Stl - 0.8
FG% - 44.8%
3FG% - 35.9%
Jordan Gainey transferred in from USC Upstate last season and was a spark plug off the bench. He showed off the ability to score in bunches but his numbers fell as the season went on. After a year in Tennessee's system, he could see a rise in efficiency as he projects to fill a similar role.
2023-24 STATS:
Pts - 6.8
Reb - 1.7
Ast - 1.2
Stl - 0.9
FG% - 35.9%
3FG% - 29.1%
After a solid freshman season, JP Estrella will be asked to fill a much bigger role. While he didn't see a large bulk of minutes last season, he came in and was a big piece in the Elite Eight game vs. Purdue. He is thought to be the back-up center this year with the expectation to take a sizable jump.
2023-24 STATS:
Pts - 1.6
Reb - 0.8
Ast - 0.1
FG% - 71.4%
3FG% - N/a
Cameron Carr is another rising sophomore who is expected to take a leap. He was used sparingly a year ago but showed flashes of effective scoring and perimeter defending. Carr is considered a big piece of the future for the Vols but will likely be a depth option next season.
2023-24 STATS:
Pts - 1.6
Reb - 0.6
Ast - 0.5
FG% - 29.6%
3FG% - 27.8%
Another depth piece for Tennessee is Cade Phillips. He also didn't play much as a freshman but did well in his minutes on the floor. With extreme athleticism, he has a high upside as he progresses.
2023-24 STATS:
Pts - 0.9
Reb - 1.4
Ast - 0.4
FG% - 66.7%
3FG% - N/a
TRANSFERS
The biggest land out of the transfer portal this cycle appears to be Chaz Lanier. The North Florida transfer took a massive jump in scoring last season to land just under 20 points per game. With ridiculously efficient shooting splits, he began to go through the NBA draft process before pulling out and picking the Vols. He's now projected to be the leading scorer for a Tennessee squad looking to go back to the Elite Eight.
2023-24 STATS (at North Florida):
Pts - 19.7
Reb - 4.8
Ast - 1.8
Stl - 0.9
FG% - 51%
3FG% - 44%
The first land out of the transfer portal was Darlinstone Dubar from Hofstra. Another efficient scorer, he has a positive upside as a defender and could slot in as a three or smaller four. He has the potential to be a starter and trends to be an impactful role player.
2023-24 STATS (at Hofstra):
Pts - 17.8
Reb - 6.8
Ast - 1.4
Stil - 1.2
Blk - 0.9
FG% - 53.9%
3FG% - 39.9%
With Jonas Aidoo and Tobe Awaka entering the portal, the Vols needed to land a center. That's what it got in rising junior Felix Okpara. Out of Ohio State, he will almost certainly be the starting center. Averaging well over two blocks per game, he is a strong rim protector that will be a lob threat on offense.
2023-24 STATS (at Ohio State):
Pts - 6.6
Reb - 6.4
Ast - 0.5
Blk - 2.4
FG% - 58.6
3FG% - 0%
Despite standing at 6-foot-10, Igor Milicic Jr. is likely going to be used as a stretch four. He shoots just under 40% from deep and will be a valuable weapon to stretch the floor. He is also a solid rebounder reeling in 8.5 boards per game at Charlotte a year ago.
2023-24 STATS (at Charlotte):
Pts - 12.8
Reb - 8.5
Ast - 1.7
Stl - 0.7
Blk - 1.1
FG% - 48.7%
3FG% - 37.6%
FRESHMEN
The lone freshman Tennessee is bringing in is Bishop Boswell out of Charlotte. He is a four-star guard and the No. 12 point guard in the country. This slots him as the No. 66 overall player. He is an effective shooter and positive defender who may be asked to play a bit as a freshman.
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