Vanderbilt transfer forward Jaylen Carey commits to Tennessee Basketball
Tennessee Basketball has added a second commitment from the NCAA Transfer Portal with the addition of Vanderbilt transfer forward Jaylen Carey on Sunday night. The 6-foot-8, 245-pound big man averaged 8.0 points and 5.7 rebounds in 20.2 minutes per game for the Commodores this season.
Carey’s commitment out of the transfer portal follows Maryland guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie’s announcement Friday afternoon that he will be transferring to Tennessee.
Carey started his college basketball career at James Madison before following head coach Mark Byington to Vanderbilt.
He had 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists before fouling out in Vanderbilt’s loss at Tennessee in February. He had 14 points and 10 boards in the Vandy’s win over the Vols in Nashville in January.
Tennessee has also been connected in the portal to Division II Lincoln Memorial wing Elyjah Freeman, Robert Morris forward Alvaro Folgueiras, Sam Houston State guard Lamar Wilkerson, UNC Greensboro guard Donovan Atwell and Maryland guard Rodney Rice, Gillespie’s teammate with the Terps this season.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie committed to Tennessee Friday afternoon
Gillespie had been the biggest target for Tennessee in the NCAA Transfer Portal since he entered on Monday. He was visited by Tennessee’s coaching staff on Wednesday.
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.
He 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.
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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.
Tennessee scheduled to return three post players, one guard
Tennessee’s current roster is scheduled to return three forwards in sophomores Cade Phillips and JP Estrella and junior in Felix Okpara and one guard in Bishop Boswell.
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 Evansand four-star center Dewayne Brown, and has a commitment from Virginia point guard Troy Henderson.
