Freddie Dilione set to go through first Tennessee basketball practice after enrolling early

Freddie Dilione is set to go through his first Tennessee basketball practice on Thursday. The 2023 four-star shooting guard, who enrolled early with the Vols, arrived in Knoxville on Friday and sat on the bench in street clothes for the Kentucky and Mississippi State games. 

The plan moving forward Dilione to be on scout team in practice and sit out as a redshirt for the remainder of this season, focusing on his preparations for 2023-24. He has officially been added to Tennessee’s online roster, wearing jersey No. 10 while listed at 6-foot-5, 180 pounds. 

“It’s great to have him here,” Tennessee assistant coach Gregg Polinksy said before practice on Thursday at Pratt Pavilion. “I know football has done this for years, right? Bringing guys in in January and redshirting them and letting them learn the system.” 

The emphasis is on learning. On the court, off the court and everything in between.

“Him just understanding the level of intensity,” Polinksy said, “what the responsibilities are to be a Tennessee Vol. I don’t mean that in a corny way, but I mean that in a proud way. 

“I think Freddie is bright enough. He has done his part at every level. And I think for us, it’s just watching him through this maturation process over the next however many months. But we’re really excited to have him here. He’s a high-level talent.”

Freddie Dilione as a prospect: No. 43 overall in 2023 class, No. 3 SG, No. 1 overall in North Carolina

Dilione, who was a senior at Word of God Christian Academy in Fayetteville, N.C., was ranked as the No. 43 overall player in the 2023 class. He was the No. 3 shooting guard in the class and the No. 1 overall player in the state of North Carolina.

“Freddie decided he wanted to get here as early as he could,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said on January 2. “We’ll get him here and we’ll get him, I don’t know how long it will really take him to get to practice with us, but we’ll get him going in school, get him going that way.”

Dilione is also getting a head start in the weight room, working with strength coach Garrett Medenwald’s program alongside his new teammates.

“Garrett will start his deal with him, helping his body, nutrition, all that coming together,” Barnes said. “But he’ll be in practice. How much he does, he’ll probably start out really helping our scout team. And as he continues to learn our system here, it’s going to be great for us and it’s going to be great for him. We’re excited about it.”

Up Next: No. 9 Tennessee at LSU, Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN

Dilione committed to Tennessee in September, picking the Vols over Wake Forest, VCU and Virginia. The Vols had talks with Dilione and his family about reclassifying and joining the program before the season, but they opted to stay put at the time.

“We had talked about, he had a chance he could possibly come this year if he wanted to,” Barnes said. “But he decided, the family decided, they wanted to go to school and go from there. I think he’s had a good experience, but just in his mind, where he is right now, he and his family decided it would be better that they get here and get going. We’re excited about it.

“We’re fortunate we have a scholarship, it worked out well that way. We’re excited about it. And we’re fortunate we have a scholarship. So that worked out well that way. We’re excited about him getting here.”