What Rick Barnes said about Tennessee's three NCAA Transfer Portal additions
Tennessee Basketball officially added its third player from the NCAA Transfer Portal on Thursday when the Vols announced the signing on Charlotte forward Igor Milicic Jr. The move followed the signings of Hofstra wing Darlinstone Dubar and Ohio State center Felix Okpara in April.
Here’s what Rick Barnes said about each of his new players in press releases announces their signings:
Charlotte Forward Igor Milicic Jr.
The 6-foot-10, 225-pound Milicic averaged 12.8 points and 8.5 rebounds as a junior this season at Charlotte, shooting 48.7% from the field and 37.6% from the 3-point line. He started his career at Virginia before transferring to Charlotte after the 2021-22 season.
Rick Barnes: ”We are excited Igor has decided to join the Volunteers. He is a talented player who has received excellent coaching throughout his career, both in college and in Europe, including learning from his father, Igor Sr., who is one of the best in the business. A versatile competitor, Igor has an impressive, unique and polished skill set that we think will translate well to the SEC. He is a quality 3-point shooter and superb defensive rebounder with big-time upside. Igor possesses invaluable experience on the international level with the Polish National Team and he has improved every year as a collegian. We feel he will fit in well at Tennessee, both on and off the court.”
Ohio State Center Felix Okpara
The 6-foot-11, 235-pound Okpara averaged 6.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks at Ohio State last season and averaged 5.3 points and 5.0 rebounds over the last two years.
Rick Barnes: “We are thrilled to have Felix join us here on Rocky Top. He comes from a great family and is an exceptional teammate whose primary goal is to win. Felix is an elite shot blocker, high-level defender and terrific rebounder. He possesses the ability to score in the low post, as well as play on the perimeter. A mobile athlete with excellent length who creates space offensively, Felix is a constant threat to get to the rim for a lob. We will do everything we can to help him further develop all aspects of his game.”
Hofstra wing Darlinstone Dubar
Dubar averaged a career-high 17.8 points per game in 33 games this season, shooting 53.9% from the floor and 39.9% from the 3-point line. He also averaged 6.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 34.6 minutes per game.
Rick Barnes: ”We are pleased to welcome Darlinstone and his supportive family into the Tennessee basketball program. He is already an accomplished collegian who will add a lot to our team. Darlinstone is a true competitor and you know what you will get from him every day. A versatile player who can excel at multiple positions, he is an excellent 3-point shooter who can also knock down midrange shots and finish at the rim. Darlinstone brings toughness and a strong work ethic, both of which will mesh well with the players already in our locker room.”
