September 7, 2024

Tennessee basketball spring transfer portal tracker

Darlinstone Dubar is Tennessee’s first pick-up in the portal after four Vols announced they could be leaving the program. Dubar is an elite and efficient scorer and brings a successful three-point shooter to the Vols lineup.Should Tennessee Vols basketball be ranked No. 1? Some coaches think so -  Rocky Top Talk

We will likely see Dubar in a role similar to Josiah-Jordan James, but hopefully with a bit more scoring. At 6-6, 207 pounds, Dubar has the size and skill to be anything Tennessee needs him to be when they start the season later this year.

Dubar averaged a career-high 17.8 points and 6.8 rebounds in his fourth college basketball season. Tennessee is Dubar’s third team in five years, and he has plenty of experience and ability to help the Vols return to the top of the SEC.

Former Ohio State big man Felix Okpara took to Instagram on Thursday to announce he is coming home to Tennessee. The 6-foot-11 center is from Lagos, Nigeria, but played high school basketball in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and was also teammates with Cam Carr.

He will look to fill Jonas Aidoo’s spot in the starting rotation but will compete with sophomore forward JP Estrella for the job unless Barnes plays with two big men on the court to start.

While Okpara is still rough around the edges on the offensive end of the court, he comes to Tennessee with the defensive physicality Barnes demands of his forwards in the paint. He’s not afraid to stand across the best bigs in college basketball and is a shot-blocking machine. Okpara could be a difference-maker for the Vols down low.In Search Of Transfer Big, 'It's All Evaluation' For Tennessee Basketball -  VolReport

Tennessee beat out Baylor and Nebraska to earn Igor Milicic Jr.’s commitment. He brings another big, physical body with an offensive spark to Tennessee’s lineup. In his junior season with Charlotte, he averaged 12.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

Rick Barnes has been targeting players like Milicic in the portal to improve Tennessee’s offense, specifically the Vols’ efficiency. Milicic shot 49% last season and 38% from three, making 58 three-point shots.

The 6-foot-10 forward will bring versatility to Tennessee’s offense, with the ability to play the three, four, or five throughout the season, depending on Tennessee’s needs. With Zakai Zeigler returning next season, the three transfers Barnes got in the portal will likely be the Vols’ starters at small forward, power forward, and center, leaving shooting guard up for grabs.

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