“We’ll be very selective,” is what coach Rick Barnes said prior to this transfer portal. Looks like they are being subjected to the same thing, but from the players they are trying to sign! Heading into his 11th year, Barnes has a new roster to address. Because just four players return from a core that won 30 games just for the third time in program history. There has been an unexpected commitment, a huge tick for the Vols, but the same cannot be said for the whole transfer portal scenario in Tennessee.
One of the biggest wins for Barnes this offseason has been signing the No.4 recruit, Nate Ament. The 6-9 wing ditched giants like Duke, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Louisville to adorn the Vols colors. So Barnes has now gained himself a third-best player in the nation and a 13th McDonald’s All-American signee in school history. He will be joining Felix Okpara, J.P. Estrella, Cade Phillips, and Bishop Boswell who will be returning from the past season’s roster.
So things looked up for Branes & his staff for a while. But only days in, they are dealt with a blow– Maryland transfer Rodney Rice has committed to USC over Tennessee.
The guard was Tennessee’s top target in the portal as they looked to add a starting shooting guard to their roster. Their previous players in the position– Chaz Lanier and Jordan Gainey — had both entered the portal themselves. But the Trojans have taken Rice right from under their noses with a finger-licking deal of just north of $3 million for the man. That offer was impossible to beat, even with former roommate Ja’Kobi Gillespie convincing him to come.
Rodney Rice to USC. Huge money and he’ll get the chance to run point a bunch, which is a major priority for him.
Trojans have been a serious threat to Tennessee for weeks. Nova was never a top option (but helped drive up $) and Maryland/Buzz Williams never pursued.
— Jeff Ermann (@Jeff_Ermann) April 22, 2025
Rodney Rice averaged 13.8 points per game during his sophomore season at Maryland and recorded six 20-point games, with a high of 28 points against Mount St. Mary’s. He was looking like a good fit for Tennessee. More so, with the addition of Gillespie, Rice’s former teammate.
Gillespie committed to the Vols and head coach Rick Barnes on April 4 and was pivotal in getting Rice, too. But it seems the USC offer was just too good. In Rice’s absence, Tennessee looks to Duke Miles, a transfer from Oklahoma, for a shooting guard. Miles started for the Sooners last season and averaged 9.4 points and 2.5 rebounds. He will be visiting the program soon as Barnes looks to lure him in.
Hopes are still alive for Rick Barnes and Co.
It’s not the end of the world for Tennessee, as transfer targets don’t always choose you, however much you want them to. East Tennessee native Ja’Kobi Gillespie, a point guard from Maryland who spent his prep days at Greeneville High School, was one of the first to sign.
A two-year player at Belmont, Gillespie entered the portal last season and elected to head north to play for the Terrapins. In 36 starts for a squad that made it to the Sweet 16, Gillespie averaged 14.7 points per game and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 40.7% from beyond the arc. Nate Ament is another exciting player to look out for, putting up great numbers.
In sights still, is Rakease Passmore. A four-star high school prospect. He did not receive a lot of playing time at Kansas and finished the 2024-25 season averaging 0.7 points and 0.6 rebounds per contest with the Jayhawks.
Rick Barnes and his staff have filled the major roles of point guard, on the wing and in the front court, but still need to add shooting guards. It’s not the time to hit the panic button, as the Vols still have three scholarships to work with and will likely add two more shooting guards to their roster.
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