The 2025-26 college basketball season is officially in the rearview with Michigan knocking off UConn on Monday night to claim the national championship.
The transfer portal officially opens on Tuesday and all eyes look towards next season as Tennessee and all other teams begin building their roster for next season. Multiple media outlets are releasing their “way-too-early” rankings for next season including ESPN.
Tennessee is not in ESPN’s way-too-early rankings but is in the “next in line” section of the story. Florida, Arkansas, Texas, Vanderbilt and Missouri all ranked in the top 25.
Way-too-early rankings have never meant less than they do now in college basketball. The Vols currently have six returning scholarship players and four incoming players from this past season. At this time, we do not know what Tennessee’s roster is going to look like next season as they prepare to go to work in the portal over the next month.
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But Tennessee could easily be in the top 25 next preseason because of the program Rick Barnes has built over the last decade. The Vols have made the Elite Eight each of the last three seasons and made the Sweet 16 the year before that.
While Tennessee was a two-seed in the 2024 and 2025 NCAA Tournament, the Vols were just a six-seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament before making another deep tournament run. Barnes’ 11th Tennessee team defeated Miami (Ohio), Virginia and Iowa State in the tournament before losing to Michigan to close the season. The Vols finished the season with a 25-12 (11-7 SEC) record.
Five Tennessee basketball players have announced intentions to enter the transfer portal after it officially opens. That group includes Cade Phillips, Clarence Massamba, J.P. Estrella, Bishop Boswell and Jaylen Carey. The Vols have four incoming players including three prep prospects and Belmont transfer sharpshooter Tyler Lundblade.
As things currently stand, Tennessee has five scholarships to work with in the transfer portal and Nate Ament declaring for the NBA Draft would make it six.
