What Rick Barnes could address for Tennessee basketball with two roster spots

Tennessee basketball entered May already with one of the best transfer portal classes in the country. Coach Rick Barnes wanted to improve the offense, and the Vols found high-end scoring at every position.

USA TODAY ranked the Vols’ portal haul at No. 2 behind Indiana. That was before they added one of the best players available when Wake Forest guard Juke Harris announced his commitment on May 4.

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Adding Harris rocketed Tennessee to the No. 1 spot and and more buzz about being a Final Four contender in the Men’s NCAA Tournament.

Tennessee has 13 scholarship players on its roster with seven portal signees, four high school recruits, and two returning players from last season’s Elite Eight squad. It can add two more to meet the Division I roster limit of 15 players.

Barnes and his staff have done well to cover any glaring needs through the portal. With space still available, though, Tennessee is expected to continue adding depth. Ask North Carolina and Louisville, two teams who lost their superstar freshmen to injury, about the importance of roster depth, especially in the NCAA Tournament.

Here’s a look at Tennessee’s roster, and what positions it could address with the final two roster spots.

Tennessee basketball roster outlook

Barnes prefers to divide his roster positions into guards, wings and forwards as the more traditional positions phase out of modern basketball. The Vols currently have five guards, five wings and three forwards.

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Tennessee lost its top six scorers from last season. Guard Bishop Boswell (Maryland), forward J.P. Estrella (Michigan) and forward Jaylen Carey (Missouri) all transferred. Seniors Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Felix Okpara depleted their college eligibility and will turn to professional careers along with freshman forward Nate Ament, who declared for the 2026 NBA Draft.

Guards Amari Evans (Texas) and Clarence Massamba (UC Davis) and forward Cade Phillips (Texas A&M) also transferred. The Vols’ seven portal additions bring a combined…

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Publish date : 2026-05-05 16:23:00

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