Rick Barnes on transfer portal opening during NCAA Tournament

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Rick Barnes shrugged and said “it is what it is” twice when asked Wednesday about the timing of the transfer portal opening.

“We have to live within it and do what we do,” the Tennessee basketball coach said. “I am thankful that we have a coaching staff that has been on top of it. It is different because we are still in the tournament but still recruiting as if we weren’t. I don’t think we are different than any of the other teams that are still playing.”

The transfer portal opened Monday, leaving the Vols and the 15 other teams still playing in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament balancing the demands of postseason prep as well as scouring the portal for players for next season.

The No. 2 seed Vols (29-7) play No. 3 seed Kentucky (24-11) on Friday (7:39 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV) in Indianapolis.

Tennessee has been one of the nation’s most successful teams in the transfer portal in the past two offseasons. Dalton Knecht and Chaz Lanier are among the biggest portal success stories in college basketball. Jordan Gainey, Igor Milicic Jr. and Felix Okpara have been key players for Tennessee as well out of the portal.

Knecht was the SEC player of the year and a first-team All-America in the 2023-24 season with the Vols. The former junior college guard averaged 21.7 points overall, 25.5 points in SEC play, after transferring from Northern Colorado. He was drafted No. 17 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft and is the highest-drafted player under Barnes.

Lanier earned All-SEC honors and has been named an All-American this season. The North Florida transfer is averaging 18.1 points and shooting 41% on 3-pointers. He had made 120 3-pointers to set a Tennessee single-season record, breaking Chris Lofton’s mark of 118 that stood since 2007-08.

PORTAL: The inside story on how Tennessee basketball, Rick Barnes recruited transfer portal class

Gainey broke out in his second season after transferring from USC Upstate. He is averaging 11.3 points and has been a reliable scorer…

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Publish date : 2025-03-26 14:56:00

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