Tennessee Vols: Rick Barnes details the exact trait that makes Kennedy Chandler special
Tennessee Vols point guard Kennedy Chandler arrived in Knoxville over the summer with extremely high expectations. Chandler was rated as a five-star recruit and the No. 1 point guard in the 2021 class. Five-star recruits are expected to contribute in a big way immediately. And that's exactly what Chandler did in his Tennessee debut on […]
Tennessee Vols point guard Kennedy Chandler arrived in Knoxville over the summer with extremely high expectations.
Chandler was rated as a five-star recruit and the No. 1 point guard in the 2021 class.
Five-star recruits are expected to contribute in a big way immediately.
And that's exactly what Chandler did in his Tennessee debut on Tuesday night in the Vols' 90-62 win against UT-Martin.
The Memphis native scored 20 points and totaled four assists in 22 minutes of action. He was also 4-for-4 from beyond the arc.
That's the kind of performance you expect from a player as highly-rated as Chandler.
Obviously, Chandler has elite talent. But talent only gets you so far. The reason Chandler is already playing at such a high level is because of his commitment to improving every single day. It's a trait that's not always present in players with elite talent.
Players like Chandler can often get by on talent alone at the high school/prep school level and then struggle in college or the NBA.
Chandler, however, has always had a desire to improve every part of his game. He wants to know where he has a weakness, so he can work to eliminate it.
Vols head coach Rick Barnes detailed this trait in Chandler during an appearance on The Buck Reising Show on 104.5 The Zone on Wednesday.
"He's a team guy all the way which you love at that position," said Barnes. "When I coach him hard and get after him, he just takes it and says hey, stay after me, I want to do this…There's just so many different levels he can get to."
"He's worked so hard, along with his dad, through the years…he'll ask what he has to do to get better," added Barnes. "Every time you mentioned something, the next time you'd see him he would have improved in those areas."
Chandler's elite work ethic combined with his high talent level is what makes him such a special player.
I know there are already some fans worried about whether or not Chandler will go to the NBA after his true freshman season.
Tennessee fans shouldn't even worry about that right now — just enjoy watching Chandler in Knoxville. This could be a special season once the Vols find their groove with Chandler running the point
Featured image via Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports
