Rick Barnes identifies Tennessee's biggest need to address in transfer portal

Tennessee lost a lot of veteran players from last year’s roster that reached a second consecutive berth in the Elite Eight. Now, with only two additions in the portal, Rick Barnes knows the Volunteers are still lacking in one area.

Barnes addressed what his team still needs to look to pick up in the portal during a media availability on Monday. That aspect would be in depth in the backcourt with them losing four key guards in Zakai Zeigler, Chaz Lanier, Jahmai Mashack, and Jordan Gainey.

“Well, I still think the depth at the perimeter would be that,” said Barnes. “And, but, we’ll be very selective.”

Being selective, though, means Tennessee is looking to fit who they are and the players they already have with their returners, a pair of transfers so far, and a top-ten recruiting class. The Vols will look for the best addition they can but not at the expense of not having what’ll equip them to be on Rocky Top.

“It’ll be a cultural fit as well as what we, we look for,” said Barnes “We’re still excited about, obviously, the players that we have. We’re really excited about the guys that are coming back and the improvement we know they’re going to make and the commitment they’ve made to the program. And, I think it’s going, they’re going to show great leadership for these new guys coming in.”

“Again, the best player we can get. That would be it. I mean, someone that can impact our program in, in more than one way. Someone that can impact us, you know. Understands what we want to do,” said Barnes “Again, we’ve got a group of guys that I think that truly have bought in to wanting to be the best team they can be and we need someone to come in with that mindset knowing that, what their skill level, whatever it may be, what skills they bring fits into what we need. And they, they have to know that, if we’re talking to them, it’s something that we’re looking for and that we believe we need to have here to help us improve.”

Tennessee already has one of the best guards out of the portal coming in with Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Maryland, Belmont), a Greeneville native who’s the No. 10 transfer and the No. 3 PG per the latest update to On3’s Industry Ranking of 2025’s Top Transfer Portal Players. They then have a pair of guards coming in as freshman with Amari Evans and Troy Henderson. That’s not to mention any ball handling they’ll get from Nate Ament, their Five-Star+ commitment, who’s versatile at his size, from over the weekend.

Still, the Volunteers could use a few more pieces, namely at guard, before they’re done in the portal. They just have to fit them over anything else if they’re going to end up in Knoxville.

“Anything we do, we do it, not just now – but we’ve got to make sure it fits the culture,” said Barnes. “We’ll look at the needs that we need that – but it’s going to be right or we won’t.”