Tennessee has faced three preseason all-american bigs in consecutive games, so when Rick Barnes says that forward Jonas Aidoo could be as good as anyone in college basketball, there is some weight to it.
Seven games in the Vols' 2023-24 season and they've already gone up against reining Naismith Player of the Year in Purdue forward Zach Edey, Kansas' Hunter Dickinson and North Carolina's Armando Bacot.
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With Tobe Awaka hindered by an injury and playing limited minutes at the Maui Invitational before missing the North Carolina game on Wednesday, Aidoo had to carry the load against all three players.
Though he missed stretches of time on the bench with early foul trouble, Aidoo finished third in scoring with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting in 21 minutes on the floor in Tennessee's 100-92 loss to the Tar Heels.
"Jonas (Aidoo), we’re going to establish Jonas," Barnes said. "And I truly think Jonas is going to play his way this year to being one of the best post guys in the country. And hate that, again, he got some foul trouble there early on."
Early in his junior season, Aidoo has begun to establish himself in Tennessee's offense.
He has averaged 8.7 points and 7.0 rebounds and turned in a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds vs. Syracuse as well as 11 rebounds against Dickinson in the Vols' loss to Kansas.
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Already known for being a strong defender after finishing fourth in the SEC in blocks with 1.7 per game in conference play and leading the team in rebounds a year ago, Aidoo has created confidence on the offensive end.
“Obviously everybody talks about what he does on the defensive end, but offensively, we’re starting to play through him more,” Tennessee guard Josiah-Jordan James said. “We tried to implement that. That has been an emphasis in practice, the practices leading up to this. We have ultimate confidence in Jonas.
"I do as a leader and we’re just gonna continue to see him grow and that’ll change the dynamic of our offense.”
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Tennessee has proven scorers on the perimeter in transfer Dalton Knecht, who scored 37 points against North Carolina before leaving the game an injury, and Santiago Vescovi and Zakai Zielger have been able to take over games in their career despite slow starts to this season.
What Aidoo has given so far gives the Vols a wrinkle offensively, one that they hope remains consistent to establish its inside game.
"We played three really good teams with three, arguably the three best post players in the country," Barne said. "And I think what’s come out of this for us is I think Jonas Aidoo finally believes what I’ve told him. He’s got a chance to be as good as all those guys and be a factor once we can throw that ball inside like we did (vs. North Carolina), and it's just going to open up more for those perimeter guys."
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