Transfer Jewel Spear settles in with Lady Vols ahead of senior season
After reaching the SEC Championship game and Sweet 16 during the 2022-23 season, Tennessee was tasked with reloading for another run in Kellie Harper's fifth year.
To fill in holes left by departing pieces, Harper looked to the transfer portal. While bringing in three highly-touted players to join the team, each bring their own skillset.
One incoming transfer who has the ability to be a threat from deep is Jewel Spear.
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She played three seasons at Wake Forest before entering the portal. While with the Demon Deacons, Spear was a two-time All-ACC and ACC All-Tournament player. She averaged 15.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists over 33.5 minutes per contest. This came on 39.2% shooting from the field and 36.7% shooting on 3-pointers.
While Spear brings a packed resume due to her previous accomplishments, there are struggles every transfer experiences as they adjust to a new town, school and team.
Despite the adversity, Spear has fit in seamlessly. So far, she has built the strongest connection with Rickea Jackson.
Jackson was an incoming transfer herself just a year ago. She was in the same position as Spear and can relate to the struggles of being the new player on the team.
She feels this has helped her integrate Spear into the program.
"I know how it feels to come in and be the new girl and adjust to things," said Jackson. "But I feel like Jewel (Spear) has adjusted like really well. Pretty quickly and she catches on to things really fast."
Spear hasn't connected with just Jackson, though. She's also made friends with other members of her new team.
"I'd say (Jasmine Powell), Kaiya (Wynn) and Jillian (Hollingshead)," said Spear on who else she's already bonded with. "(Hollingshead) is my roommate during the summer before I move out to my apartment. (Powell) and Kaiya (Wynn) I'm always joking with and making TikToks."
What's helped her friendship develop with Jackson at a faster rate has been their time together with USA Basketball at the FIBA Women's AmeriCup in Mexico earlier in the month.
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As the team grabbed silver in the tournament, Jackson finished the event averaging 14.6 points and 4.9 rebounds. Spear averaged 5.6 points and 1.4 assists and led the team in made 3-pointers with 10 in seven appearances.
The pair were the representatives for Tennessee and spent a lot of time together on the trip.
"It made the transition so smooth, having (Rickea Jackson)," said Spear. "We're really good friends off the court and we've only been together for a month. We're both Pisces so we can kind of joke about that, too. She always says, 'I wonder why we gel so good together.' I think its because we're Pisces. It was really smooth. We were both roommates in Colorado Springs in training camp and we were roommates in Mexico, too. So just picking her brain, seeing how well she did and just learning from her on the court and building our bond off the court."
Now, Spear will prepare for her senior season with the Lady Vols.
Although she has two years of eligibility left, her goal is set on playing in the WNBA. This was a big reason she came to Tennessee in the first place. She felt that the program would set her up to succeed at the next level.
"I think the people, so the coaches, and I say that because I really take pride in development," said Spear on why this is the case. "I think that since coach Sam (Williams) is my position coach, she'll have me in the gym, working with me. I know that being at Tennessee is a bigger stage which is what I wanted. I'll be on a bigger stage to display my talents. And just be able to develop as a person on the court and off the court."
Although Spear has seemingly already integrated herself into the team, she has a handful of more months to settle in with Tennessee before the season begins.
The full schedule for the Lady Vols is yet to be released but out-of-conference matches against Indiana and Oklahoma in November will be an early test.
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