Tennessee Basketball visiting Maryland transfer guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie
Maryland transfer guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie is getting an in-person visit from the Tennessee Basketball coaches on Wednesday, ahead of the recruiting dead period that begins Thursday. The Vols have been considered a frontrunner since Gillespie entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on Monday.
The dead period runs from Thursday to April 10.
Jon Rothstein reported Wednesday that Gillespie has also received interest from Kentucky, North Carolina, Maryland and Villanova. Gillespie entered the NCAA Transfer Portal after former Maryland coach Kevin Willard left for Villanova. Maryland hired former Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams on Tuesday.
Gillespie started all 36 games at Maryland this season, averaging 14.7 points and 4.8 assists in 31.6 minutes per game while shooting 45.3% from the floor and 40.7% from the 3-point line, where he made 87 of 214 attempts.
The Greeneville, Tenn., native, played his first two seasons of college basketball at Belmont, averaging 12.9 points, 3.7 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 26.2 minutes per game, starting 32 times in 57 games with the Bruins.
He averaged 17.2 points, 4.2 assists and 2.2 steals in 31.4 minutes per game as a sophomore in 2023-24, starting 24 times in 25 games.
Vols hosted Virginia transfer Isaac McKneely on visit
Tennessee on Tuesday hosted Virginia’s Isaac McKneely on a visit, the first visit for the Vols during the current transfer portal window.
McKneely, the 6-foot-4 junior from West Virginia, averaged 14.4 points and shot 42.1% from the 3-point line in 34 games with the Cavaliers this season. On3’s Joe Tipton reported Monday that Tennessee and Louisville appear to be the leaders in McKneely’s recruitment.
Louisville has already added portal commitments from Kennesaw State point guard Adrian Wooley and Xavier guard Ryan Conwell.
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“A decision is expected soon after his trip to Knoxville,” Tipton reported. “A return to Virginia at this point is unlikely. It sounds like North Carolina is fading. This is shaping up to be a two-team race between Louisville and Tennessee. I like the Vols chances but I’m not counting out the Cards.”
McKneely made 101 3-pointers this season while also averaging 2.9 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 34.4 minutes per game. He shot 43.9% from the floor. He made 51 threes as a freshman in 2022-23 and 81 last season, when he averaged 12.3 points per game.
Tennessee scheduled to return three post players
Tennessee’s current roster is scheduled to return most of its forwards, in sophomores Cade Phillips and JP Estrella, and junior in Felix Okpara.
The Vols are set to lose six seniors in total, including seniors Zakai Zeigler, Jahmai Mashack, Jordan Gainey and Igor Milicic Jr., and fifth-year seniors in Chaz Lanier and Darlinstone Dubar.
The Vols entered this season with two open scholarships, giving Rick Barnes and his staff six openings to work with in the NCAA Transfer Portal.
Tennessee has signed two players in its 2025 recruiting class, four-star guard Amari Evans and four-star center Dewayne Brown, and has a commitment from Virginia point guard Troy Henderson.
