Rick Barnes details what he hopes to see from Tennessee during European trip

Tennessee basketball better have their passports ready, with a European trip on deck. Rick Barnes will have his team traveling across the Atlantic Ocean to Italy, getting set to play in three exhibition games to prepare for the 2023-2024 season. The Lithuanian U21 team will see the Vols twice before facing off against Italian club A.S. Stella Azzura.

Barnes was asked what he wanted his team to get out of the trip, saying it’s always good for the players to experience a new country. He also sees it as a reward for players who have stuck with the program throughout the years, giving them the opportunity to travel abroad.

“I think when you go on these trips, it’s to reward these guys to our commitment to us,” Barnes said. “Give them an experience. They all want to be professional basketball players and some of them have been to different countries. You think about the guys we’ve had here playing overseas. It’s a great time for them to get exposure to a different country.”

Tennessee will have more than just an experience at stake, though. As any good coach would, Barnes plans on using the trip as a lesson for his players.

A tough reality of college basketball is not everybody is going to make the jump to the NBA. Barnes wants to show there are still lucrative opportunities overseas, especially when facing off against A.S. Stella Azzura. The NBA might be the ultimate dream for guys but not the only option when their time on Rocky Top comes to a close.

“There’s a lot of basketball opportunities out there around the world,” Barnes said. “As much as they would like to play in the NBA, it’s difficult. We’ve had some guys that have gone on and done well. With this team, we’ve been meeting with each other all summer. But going out and playing a couple of games over there is a good thing but it’s more than just a game on this trip.”

Tennessee will take off before the month ends. Especially this early in the cycle, results truly are not going to matter to Barnes. Of course, getting wins would be nice but in late July/early August, Barnes cannot be too concerned.

However, both Barnes and the Vols players will have plenty to learn about over the next few days. A great opportunity for Tennessee this summer.