It’s a slower recruiting weekend for Tennessee basketball as they are not hosting any official visitors around the Arkansas football game. But the Vols are hosting a highly talented junior guard on a visit. Class of 2027 combo guard LJ Smith is unofficially visiting over the weekend, Smith and another source told RTI Thursday.
Smith ranks as a four-star recruit and the No. 35 player in the country according to the 247sports composite rankings. He also ranks as the No. 5 combo guard in the 2027 recruiting cycle.
The 6-foot-4, 180-pound guard is a Lincolnton, North Carolina native just 22 miles south of Rick Barnes’ hometown of Hickory. However, Smith announced earlier this week that he is transferring to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia for his senior high school season.
More From RTI: Everything Rick Barnes Said During Tennessee Basketball’s In House Media Day
Tennessee basketball does not have a commitment in the 2027 recruiting cycle at this time but has hosted four-star RJ Moore and four-star Chase Lumpkin on unofficial visits earlier this fall and is hosting four-star Gabe Nesmith later this month.
Rick Barnes and the Vols’ 2026 recruiting class is beginning to come into shape. Four-star wing Ralph Scott committed to the Vols last week and Tennessee could get more good news later this week when four-star wing Manny Green announces his college commitment. Green is down to a top group including Auburn, Cal, Georgia Tech and South Florida.
Tennessee has also scheduled a number of other official visits for later this fall including five-star point guard Derron Rippey Jr, five-star power forward Christian Collins, four-star shooting guard Jasiah Jervis and four-star power forward Cody Peck. Five-star point guard Miles Sadler also officially visited earlier this fall.
