What Rick Barnes said about Tennessee's three new transfer players

Tennessee basketball’s 2023-24 roster is complete with the official addition of transfers Jordan Gainey, Chris Ledlum and Dalton Knecht, after all three signed with the Vols this week. Freshman guard BJ Edwards entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on Friday, getting Tennessee down to 13 scholarship players.

Rick Barnes added its three portal commitments over a span of four days in late April. First was Gainey, the USC Upstate guard and son of Tennessee associate head coach Justin Gainey. Ledlum, the Harvard forward, followed the next day and Knecht, the wing from Northern Colorado, was in two days later.

Barnes commented on all three transfers for the first time publicly when their signings were announced by Tennessee’s sports information department. First up was Gainey on Tuesday. 

Tennessee added Jordan Gainey for his ‘offensive versatility and his ability to shoot’

“We obviously know and love Jordan’s family,” Barnes said, “but his ability as a player stands on its own merit. He plays with a high basketball IQ and is a guy who makes his teammates better.

“We love his offensive versatility and his ability to shoot and score the ball in a variety of ways. In addition to giving us another shot-maker, he also competes on the defensive end and led (the Big South) in steals last year.” 

Gainey averaged 14.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists, shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from the 3-point line over the last two seasons at USC Upstate.

Gainey in 32 games last season averaged 15.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 31.7 minutes per game, shooting 39.3 percent from the field and 34.5 percent from the 3-point line. 

As a freshman in 2021-22, Gainey shot 47.1 percent from the field and 49.3 percent from the 3-point line. He made 74 of 150 3-point attempts as a freshman and 70 of 203 as a sophomore.

He was a two-time All-Big South pick at USC Upstate and was the Big South’s Freshman of the Year in 2021-22. 

Chris Ledlum ‘has tremendous work ethic and plays with grit’

Ledlum’s signing was announced on Wednesday. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound junior from Staten Island, N.Y. He averaged 13.6 points and 6.7 rebounds over the last three seasons at Harvard. 

“Chris has many of the characteristics we value in our program,” Barnes said. “He has a tremendous work ethic and plays with grit, toughness and a bit of swagger. We’ve seen similar traits in other Vols from New York, and we expect Chris to build on that history.”

Ledlum last season averaged 18.8 points and 8.5 rebounds in 28 games at Harvard. He averaged 16.7 points and 9.3 rebounds during a breakout sophomore season in 2021-22.

He started 27 times in 28 games as a junior, averaging 31.5 minutes per game. Ledlum scored in double-figures 26 times this season and had nine double-doubles. He had a season-high 35 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a win at Cornell in February. In 70 games over the last three seasons at Harvard, Ledlum averaged 13.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.5 assists in 24.8 minutes per game, making 41 starts.
 
“He comes from a wonderful family,” Barnes said, “and had a tremendous career at Harvard playing for a great coach in Tommy Amaker, so he’s coming in with a strong foundation. He’ll give us an inside-outside scoring presence. And his versatility—scoring, rebounding and playmaking—extends our ability to create mismatches.”

Knecht, the 6-foot-6, 200-pound senior wing who signed on Thursday, averaged 20.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 35.3 minutes per game in 32 games this season, shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from the 3-point line.

“Dalton is just a terrific story of a guy whose hard work has enabled him to steadily improve his game,” Barnes said. “He’s grown nearly a foot since he started playing high school ball. And as he’s grown, he’s expanded his skill set as well.

“He’s a proven scorer and was one of the top offensive producers in the portal, so he immediately gives our team a boost in offensive firepower.”