Next Year

#26
#26
Dilione is just going to be a redshirt freshman given he didn't play this year. Everyone but Key can come back, but I don't think any of them will come back.

I expect Edwards to stay put. He should have a rotational role next year. Particularly given ZZ might not be fully ready for the beginning of the year.

I'm really excited for Jefferson and Dilione. Jefferson is a big time athlete. Mashack with another offseason could be an all sec player. Cameron Carr looks like he could have a decent role off the bench next year as well. If Phillips does back, I think our ceiling will be ever higher next year.

Roster as of now assuming the seniors leave and everyone else comes back.

ZZ/ Edwards
Mashack/ Dilione/ Jefferson
Phillips/ Carr
Awaka/ Cade Phillips
Aidoo / Estrella

I expect Julian Phillips to play a ton at PF next year as I doubt Cade will be ready to play big minutes. Frees up minutes for Jefferson to play at SG or SF.
 
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#27
#27
You have to think that we will take a step back defensively next year although we could be more athletic. Young guys won’t be as tough in that area. With Awaka getting more minutes we may actually be a better rebounding team.

Scoring, really hard to see where it comes from without significant improvement from Phillips, Mashack, Aidoo and hopefully two good transfers. Hard to rely on freshman being consistent or scoring in bunches although I do think the time Dilione has spent with us this year is going to give him a massive head start. So long as everyone buys into the tough culture we represent, we can be good but going to be a vitally important off-season. Thankfully just about everyone else in the SEC is going to have a lot of changes too.
 
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#28
#28
vegasvolfan said:
What Barnes has done this year is impressive. I don't believe any of our guys have reached star power, but we beat 3 conference champions loaded with stars: Alabama, Texas and Duke. We were ranked #1 at one point (I think) and have gone to at least the sweet 16. None of the star powered Freshman made any serious contributions. Oh an they also had a big exhibition win over Gonzaga (WCC champs).

I can't help but think about what is possible next year. I know I will be corrected if I am wrong, but I think every player can return for another year? I think it would benefit every player's career who can return for them to do so, and should be REALLY good if they all do.

Here is the breakdown of who I think can return next year that could be of any significance to our team (please do correct me if I am wrong here.)

  • Vescovi has another year due to COVID,
  • ZZ will be back as a Junior
  • Aidoo is a Sophomore and will return
  • Oliver Nkamhoua is a Senior, but I think he has a COVID year
  • Mashack is a Sophomore, and will return
  • JJJ has a COVID year I think
  • I'm not sure if Plavsic has another year or not due to COVID, but he did redshirt as a Freshman
  • Awaka has seen some PT as a Freshman and will return.
  • Then you have Phillips who most likely will return as a sophomore if he is smart. He was rated as the nation’s No. 13 overall prospect in the Class of 2022 by both ESPN and Rivals and No. 18 overall by 247 Sports.
  • We still don't know what BJ Edwards will turn into. He is a Freshman and consensus four-star prospect as well as rated as the nation's No. 71 overall prospect in the Class of 2022 by Rivals.com.
  • Jefferson, another Freshman, was a four-star prospect in the Class of 2022, he was rated as the nation's No. 45 prospect and the No. 1 prospect in the state of Minnesota by On3, as well as No. 73 nationally by 247sports.
  • And then there is Freddie Dilione who will be a sophomore. He was rated as high as No. 24 overall in the Class of 2023 by 247Sports and also was the top-rated prospect in the state of North Carolina per the 247Sports Composite.

If all those guys can return and do, it may be the best team and most experienced we have seen at Tennessee. The only team that I can remember that would rival it never happened, because Bone and Williams left after their Junior years (I think) when Alexander and Schofield departed as Seniors.
Click to expand...
ISNT THIS FREDDIES FIRST YR?
 
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#30
#30
vegasvolfan said:
I understand that. All 3 would most likely be taken care of. If not, then they should go. That said, they would only get better and perhaps improve their chances to sign for more, so... I don't think staying is necessarily selfless.
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We have 13 on scholarship (that’s the limit) and have 3 signees coming in, have to make room for those 3, so Key and 2 else at a minimum. They can’t all return.
 
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#31
#31
VolGee4 said:
This has all been discussed. It would be surprising to see any of SV, JJJ, ON, or UP to come back. Maybe JJJ if he just wants to. Key is out of eligibility.

Freddie Dilione will be a freshman. We have Carr and Cade Phillips coming in. We will most likely take a transfer PG and transfer big man.
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I would like to see JJJ come back and have a healthy 2024 season.
 
#32
#32
GregAmsler said:
This is my best guess:

PG- Zakai Ziegler, BJ Edwards
G- Jamai Mashack, Freddie Dilione, Cameron Carr
W- Julian Phillips, DJ Jefferson
PF- Tobe Awaka, Cade Phillips
C- Jonas Aidoo, JP Estrella

Plus a transfer portal post and a transfer portal PG/CG.
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BJ Edwards is likely the starting PG next year if ZZ’s rehab drags on….. even with ZZ coming off bench this year. Good shot Edwards could start regardless.
 
#36
#36
Thunder Good-Oil said:
That’s kind of a reach.
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Not really. ZZ is coming off a major injury in which he won’t rush it back. We are likely losing guards so we have a void at the guard spot in the starting 5…. To say Edwards starting the season at point is a reach is clownish
 
#37
#37
JMSqb11 said:
Not really. ZZ is coming off a major injury in which he won’t rush it back. We are likely losing guards so we have a void at the guard spot in the starting 5…. To say Edwards starting the season at point is a reach is clownish
Click to expand...

Starting the season as a point or being the starting point? Questioning the latter is far from clownish.
 
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#38
#38
JMSqb11 said:
Not really. ZZ is coming off a major injury in which he won’t rush it back. We are likely losing guards so we have a void at the guard spot in the starting 5…. To say Edwards starting the season at point is a reach is clownish
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I think someone in a previous post noted that on our current scout team, Dilione was playing PG and Edwards was at SG. No idea if correct. Both are more combo type guards with limited knowledge on Dilione.
 
#39
#39
Namorto1 said:
I think someone in a previous post noted that on our current scout team, Dilione was playing PG and Edwards was at SG. No idea if correct. Both are more combo type guards with limited knowledge on Dilione.
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Edwards will have to get much, much better with his defense if he’s going to sniff a start. He will be two years removed from high school though instead of jumping straight into SEC level competition. I will be shocked if BJ Edwards is TN’s starting PG in November.
 
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#40
#40
If
Thunder Good-Oil said:
Edwards will have to get much, much better with his defense if he’s going to sniff a start. He will be two years removed from high school though instead of jumping straight into SEC level competition. I will be shocked if BJ Edwards is TN’s starting PG in November.
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From what I have seen if Edwards is the starting point guard next year Tennessee is in trouble. Tennessee needs to get a point guard from the portal.
 
#41
#41
LibertyVol said:
If
From what I have seen if Edwards is the starting point guard next year Tennessee is in trouble. Tennessee needs to get a point guard from the portal.
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Or maybe Dilione is the guy. But TN also loses JJJ, Key, and Santi. Good to have Mashack available. And JJJ was undecided and 50/50 about returning.

I can see Edwards improving enough to fill in a few minutes at PG. But if he gets many minutes next year I would guess it’ll be mostly as the off guard.
 
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#43
#43
vegasvolfan said:
I understand that. All 3 would most likely be taken care of. If not, then they should go. That said, they would only get better and perhaps improve their chances to sign for more, so... I don't think staying is necessarily selfless.
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I'm curious in the current state of the NIL whether or not some might decide to stay an extra year if there are a monetary benefit.
 
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#44
#44
tcash051 said:
I'm curious in the current state of the NIL whether or not some might decide to stay an extra year if there are a monetary benefit.
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I think that foreign players are supposed to be excluded from NIL deals, but there are workarounds. However TN might not want to be poking the NCAA bear while operating in the grey area.
 
#45
#45
bleedingTNorange said:
We have 13 on scholarship (that’s the limit) and have 3 signees coming in, have to make room for those 3, so Key and 2 else at a minimum. They can’t all return.
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Hmm now that's good info. Not sure who that would be. Plavsic? Maybe one of the underclassmen that isn't shaping up? I dunno.
 
#46
#46
Special Ed said:
We still need to add a scorer or two.
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This all day long. We need to recruit about 25-30 points, either normally or through the portal. We add that to this roster playing Barnes’ defense and we should be, well, better. To drastically understate it.
 
#49
#49
Vescovi was strokin' it last nite! I watched the highlights. Missed the game. Made some really clutch baskets down the stretch.
 
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