From Aidoo to Zeigler...

[knox73]

These guys were fun and exciting to watch and I think everyone misses seeing them play. I have mental images of all the players and their highlights/great plays.

Congratulations to Rick Barnes for recruiting the entire squad and the incredible player development. This may be my favorite Vol basketball team ever and I wish them all the best.

The SEC tournament was special as was the entire season. It will be interesting to see the returnees for next season and how that team meshes together. Coach Barnes deserves kudos for bringing the most exciting/high quality basketball to Knoxville and it only gets better each season.

Even games this team lost - I enjoyed watching them. Well I just had to get that off my chest. I think we have to appreciate effort and a great season and realize that only one team each year achieves the ultimate goal of NCAA champ.

 

[Volprofch05]

It’s tough to bid Aidoo to this crew

 

[grobin4300]

Next years team will be INCREDIBLY LOADED even if Chandler leaves and Fulky gone but we get Nsog ??? (oh well, wont even try to spell his name) back. You can tell MHH is going to be really good with his post moves. Bailey needs to come back with CONFIDENCE. Powell needs to learn how to "catch and shoot" not just shoot from a wide open set spot.

 

[macrovol]

What is the difference in the Vols win total next year if Chandler were to miraculously return?

 

[Caculator]

What is the difference in the Vols win total next year if Chandler were to miraculously return?

Be hard to duplicate

 

[Unconditional Surrender]

if he comes back it would easily be the best Tennessee team ever

 

[golfballs]

We’re not going to be able to replace him next year. But I read some other take that we are guaranteed to be worse without him next year. I definitely disagree w that. There’s so much potential for improvement from other guys on this roster. Throw in the chance we add another quality recruit/transfer. I think we could still be just as good next year. Not saying we will, but certainly possible

 

[movinonup]

Throw ON back in the mix - losing him was HUGE at the end of the season. Put him in the middle of the Michigan game with his 10-15 ft shot, and we win that game.

 

[VolPack22]

My favorite teams in the past 20 years:

1. 2007-2008
2. 2018-2019
3. 2021-2022

This team was fun (at times frustrating) to watch, but they accomplished something no other UT Men’s Basketball team has in my lifetime. SECT Champions. I loved the way this team came together the 2nd half of the season. They bonded, became brothers, and you could tell they enjoyed being around each other. Even though the season ended prematurely, they are SECT Champions and they will have that memory for the rest of their lives. For anyone thinking we are going to be worse off next year, we do have this kid named BJ Edwards coming in. He’s a great player and I personally don’t see a huge drop off. We may lose more games but I expect nothing less than 20 wins. That is the minimum expectation.

 

[SN-A-C Orange]

Chandler comes back and no transfers among (UP, BHH, JA, ON) and assuming SV and JJJ return ... we will win 25+ games.
We would be a top 5 team from the get go.
We will shoot 38 to 42% from 3 for the entire year ... with no nights under 30%.

Without Chandler ... 18-20, only because we will be back to grooming another freshman at point guard.

My observations:
We want SV's devotion to bb diet and preparation and work ethic to permeate the entire team.
We want JJJ to make more progress on the speed and fluidity of his 3 point shot.
We want BHH to be a respectable backup for JJJ at the 3 and shoot 30% from 3.
We want JA to become an eraser ( by May-ish he should be 100% fully recovered from his medical setback ).
We want UP to work on foul shooting and learn to be Detroit physical in the paint. (We want him to make more points DUNKING the ball than shooting the ball.)
WE want all of our big bodies to come back MORE PHYSICALLY ready to bang.
We want to be able to score inside out and outside in.

Motto for 2022-23: Unfinished business!
Welcome to my Fantasyland!

 

[UneducatedGuess]

if he comes back it would easily be the best Tennessee team ever

Grant and Admirals final year was the most complete team I watched at Tennessee.

You had options. You also had go to player.

As good as this year was, I feel like it took a second to find that identity.

 

[SN-A-C Orange]

The teams were different. Different strengths and different personalities. I guess I 'liked' this team more ... because of what they 'overcame.' More about 'team' and less star power.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Grant and Admirals final year was the most complete team I watched at Tennessee.

You had options. You also had go to player.

As good as this year was, I feel like it took a second to find that identity.

If only Jalen Johnson and especially Derrick Walker had developed faster then there would have been a complete bench as well. Pons wasn’t much of a scoring threat either. And Fulk was still getting over his severely damaged arm. Lamonte was a very good 6th man to sub for Bone and Bowden.

 

[VolArmy74]

We are going to desperately miss KC. An ultra elite PG can make a massive difference and I don't see ZZ/BJ being able to replicate what he brought. KC's extremely high level defense will be especially missed.

 

[orangemadam]

The potential for next years team without KC is a ? at this point. Depends on pg play.

We can not keep ZZ on the floor more than 20-25 minutes. He brings a lot to the table but he also can lose focus and produce to's with extended minutes.

If BJ can be better than 10 min. at pg, we have a chance to be better than this year's team since improvement will be seen in ON, BHH, Aidoo, and Mashack.

 

[Mr French]

The potential for next years team without KC is a ? at this point. Depends on pg play.

We can not keep ZZ on the floor more than 20-25 minutes. He brings a lot to the table but he also can lose focus and produce to's with extended minutes.

If BJ can be better than 10 min. at pg, we have a chance to be better than this year's team since improvement will be seen in ON, BHH, Aidoo, and Mashack.

I expect those will cut down with experience. I'm not going to say Zeigler will not improve the TO's and they didn’t happen until the last few weeks. Chandler had issues early on and got better.

 

[Mr French]

We are going to desperately miss KC. An ultra elite PG can make a massive difference and I don't see ZZ/BJ being able to replicate what he brought. KC's extremely high level defense will be especially missed.

I don't either. If ZZ becomes a consistent outside shooter like he can then we'll be just as good just in a different way. That also depends on BHH and Aidoo taking the next step Offensively.

 

[Unconditional Surrender]

Highly talented sophomores almost always take steps.

 

[volfanhill]

I have seen several recent draft prognostications that don't have chandler going in the first round.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Grant and Admirals final year was the most complete team I watched at Tennessee.

You had options. You also had go to player.

As good as this year was, I feel like it took a second to find that identity.

We did not do well with in the paint defense and rebounding.

 

[UneducatedGuess]

We did not do well with in the paint defense and rebounding.

You know, at the time, I thought it was pretty good. Be, quite honestly, after being spoiled by Yves Pons cleanup ability, and especially the defense this year, I’d agree with you.

Just felt that team could get points when they needed them.

All my memories are jaded with bias of course. I tend to only recall the highlights and forgot the struggles.

 

[1Big_Orange_Fan]

Chandler comes back and no transfers among (UP, BHH, JA, ON) and assuming SV and JJJ return ... we will win 25+ games.
We would be a top 5 team from the get go.
We will shoot 38 to 42% from 3 for the entire year ... with no nights under 30%.

Without Chandler ... 18-20, only because we will be back to grooming another freshman at point guard.

My observations:
We want SV's devotion to bb diet and preparation and work ethic to permeate the entire team.
We want JJJ to make more progress on the speed and fluidity of his 3 point shot.
We want BHH to be a respectable backup for JJJ at the 3 and shoot 30% from 3.
We want JA to become an eraser ( by May-ish he should be 100% fully recovered from his medical setback ).
We want UP to work on foul shooting and learn to be Detroit physical in the paint. (We want him to make more points DUNKING the ball than shooting the ball.)
WE want all of our big bodies to come back MORE PHYSICALLY ready to bang.
We want to be able to score inside out and outside in.

Motto for 2022-23: Unfinished business!
Welcome to my Fantasyland!

So if Spyre gives a high school kid an $8M contract over 4 years what is keeping them from giving Chandler a $2M for 1 year?

 

[Putbacks]

I see us going undefeated, winning the conference tournament, earning the highest RPI rating in the nation, and narrowly moving up to the #2 seed line.

 

[Johnnyreb#VFL]

Yeah I mean winning the SEC championship isn’t anything to scoff at. People so down right now but this was the football equivalent of winning the SEC Championship. Someone criticized the almost empty sweet 16 banner, I would rather have an added sec championship over a sweet 16 bid. That’s just me

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Yeah I mean winning the SEC championship isn’t anything to scoff at. People so down right now but this was the football equivalent of winning the SEC Championship. Someone criticized the almost empty sweet 16 banner, I would rather have an added sec championship over a sweet 16 bid. That’s just me

The Sweet 16 banner isn’t almost empty. The Elite Eight banner is and I’ll bet it is replaced this off season.