Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes met with the media on Monday morning in Knoxville for the first time since the Vols’ Elite Eight loss to Houston this past March.
Barnes and his staff have been busy reloading their roster this offseason with two portal additions and four high school additions so far. The Vols are adding Maryland guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Vanderbilt transfer Jaylen Carey through the portal and have signed four-star center DeWayne Brown, four-star guard Amari Evans, and three-star guard Troy Henderson. Tennessee also recently landed a commitment from five-star power forward Nate Ament, the No. 4 overall player in the 2025 class.
While speaking to the media on Monday, Barnes talked about his growing comfort level in the portal/NIL era of college basketball. Barnes also spoke about what he likes from Carey and Gillespie’s games, what else they’re looking for in the portal, and much more.
Tennessee rising junior Cade Phillips also spoke to the media on Monday morning as he discussed the Vols’ roster turnover, what he’s excited for about next season, and how he envisions his role shaping out with the new additions.
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Check out both interviews below:
Tennessee HC Rick Barnes
Tennessee F Cade Phillips
