The addition of the transfer portal in college sports has led to some controversial transfers with players going from one team to their rival. Tennessee football’s been a part of it a few times with starting Georgia offensive lineman Cade Mays transferring to Tennessee and more recently when backup cornerback Jordan Matthews transferred from Tennessee to Vanderbilt.
Tennessee basketball dealt with it a bit last season when Jonas Aidoo transferred within the SEC to Arkansas. But Rick Barnes and his staff added their first interconference transfer on Sunday night when Vanderbilt forward Jaylen Carey committed to the Vols out of the transfer portal.
It’s a decision that earned Carey a good deal of disdain from Vanderbilt fans but the newest Vol isn’t worried about hate from the Commodores.
“I’m a Vol now man,” Carey told RTI on Sunday night. “I don’t care about no black-and-gold. I bleed orange now man. I don’t care about what they’ve got to say.”
Carey spent just one season at Vanderbilt, transferring from James Madison to Vanderbilt with his head coach Mark Byington. The 6-foot-8 forward was a key piece of the Commodores’ first NCAA Tournament team since 2017, averaging eight points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
The Davey, Florida native got better over the course of his sophomore season, averaging 9.5 points and 6.2 rebounds coming off the bench for the Commodores in SEC play.
More From RTI: Vanderbilt Transfer Jaylen Carey Talks Wanting ‘To Be A Part’ Of Tennessee Basketball
Carey played two of his best games last season against Tennessee. He totaled a 14-point, 10-rebound double-header in Vanderbilt’s win over Tennessee in Nashville and 17 points and seven rebounds in the Commodores loss in Knoxville.
Facing off against Tennessee in two highly competitive games last season was part of the reason that Carey wanted to play at Tennessee.
“Playing the Vols last year twice, just how hard they play and how their players spoke on Coach Barnes,” Carey said. “I wanted to be a part of that.”
Carey is Tennessee basketball’s second transfer portal commit this offseason joining Maryland point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie. The physical forward joins returning front court members Felix Okpara, JP Esrella, Cade Phillips and incoming freshman DeWayne Brown.
Rick Barnes and his staff now have four scholarships to work with as they look to put together the Vols’ roster for the 2025-26 season.
