Juke Harris finally makes his transfer portal decision on Monday, putting Rick Barnes and Tennessee Vols basketball into uncharted territory
The Vols landed the biggest fish in the transfer portal pond, putting their chances of making program history at an all-time high.
The Tennessee Vols have had a great transfer portal period, to put it mildly. After a roster exodus that saw Nate Ament head to the NBA Draft players like J.P. Estrella, Jaylen Carey, and Bishop Boswell hit the portal, there was plenty of work to do to build the roster back up. And boy, how Rick Barnes has done it.
After weeks of waiting, the biggest chip in the country fell the Vols’ way on Monday morning. Wake Forest transfer guard Juke Harris officially announced he’s withdrawing from NBA Draft consideration and is transferring to Tennessee. Harris made an announcement on his Instagram account.
Juke Harris announces he is foregoing the NBA Draft and transferring to Tennessee
“I decided to go back to school,” Harris said. “It’s going to look a little different this time.” The Power T followed on the screen, and the decision has clearly been made.
Harris is arguably the biggest get among anyone in the transfer portal this cycle, as he was ranked the No. 1 player in the portal by On3 Sports. Michigan and North Carolina were both pushing hard for his services, and it became a top priority for Michigan head coach Dusty May to land the Wake Forest transfer.
However, Barnes and the Big Orange won out in the end, which is particularly impressive given how the Wolverines are a few weeks removed from a national championship.
Harris is a 6-7, 200 pound guard from Salisbury, NC and spent his first two seasons with the Demon Deacons. Last year was a breakthrough for him, particularly on the offensive end of the floor. He leapt from a scoring average of 6.1 to 21.4 points per game from his first to second year in Winston-Salem. His season high was 38 points in late February against Boston College.
Rick Barnes talked over the weekend about how he wanted more scoring next year, and now with Harris, Notre Dame transfer Jalen Haralson, and others, he should have it in droves next season.
The Vols should be a consensus top five team next season, and for the first time, they should be a true favorite to not just reach the program’s first-ever Final Four, but also for the national championship.