Tennessee Vols guard Kennedy Chandler explains why he decided to declare for the NBA draft
Tennessee Vols guard Kennedy Chandler announced on Tuesday, during an appearance on ESPN, that he's declaring for the NBA draft. Chandler's decision doesn't come as a surprise. In fact, this was expected. But there were still some Vols fans who were hoping that a NIL deal could entice Chandler to return to Knoxville for one […]
Tennessee Vols guard Kennedy Chandler announced on Tuesday, during an appearance on ESPN, that he's declaring for the NBA draft.
Chandler's decision doesn't come as a surprise. In fact, this was expected. But there were still some Vols fans who were hoping that a NIL deal could entice Chandler to return to Knoxville for one more season.
The former five-star recruit told ESPN that he struggled with the decision. But after talking with Vols head coach Rick Barnes, Chandler felt that entering the draft now is the best decision for his career.
It's hard to blame Chandler for making this decision. While it would've been fun to see him return to Tennessee and chase a championship next season, I fully understand that reaching the NBA is the ultimate goal for any young basketball player.
The plan for Chandler was always to be a one-and-done player and head to the NBA. That's part of the deal when you recruit five-star talent.
Chandler won't be playing for the Vols anymore, but he'll still play an important role for Tennessee basketball. The more successful Chandler is in the NBA (and the higher he goes in the draft), the better for Tennessee. The Vols should receive even more attention from elite recruits thanks to Chandler.
Featured image via Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
