What Tennessee basketball transfer commit Dai Dai Ames wants Vol fans to know about him is simple.
“I’m going to give my all every time I hop on the court,” Ames told RTI. “I love to win. I love to make winning plays.”
After failing to make the NCAA Tournament in each of his first three collegiate seasons, Ames committed to Tennessee during his official visit with the Vols last weekend. His desire to be a part of a winning culture and have postseason success was a major reason why.
Playing for Rick Barnes, who has made the NCAA Tournament 30 times in his 39 seasons as a head coach, was a major draw for Ames.
“Just to be coached by a Hall of Fame coach,” Ames said. “He’s sent 36 players to the NBA. That is a dream of mine. And he’s been to the Elite Eight three times in a row. Just playing under a coach like that and next year I, for sure, want to get to the national championship and win the national championship. And then just keep getting better to get to the next level.”
Every recruit who officially visits Tennessee watches film with Barnes as the veteran coach shows prospects how they can fit into what Tennessee does.
During Ames’ film session, Barnes showed him actions and plays that Tennessee runs and meshes with what Ames does. With a lethal midrange jumper, Ames can curl off pin down screens while also attacking the elbow off the dribble.
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But what most stood out to Ames during the film session was a coach who has a hunger to win that matches his own.
“I can just tell that he’s a winner,” Ames said. “He only cares about winning. That’s the type of coach I want to play for because that’s all I really care about. Just winning. I’m very competitive, every time I hop on the court, I play hard. So playing for a coach who thinks just the same way— I think that’s going to make me all the better.”
The 6-foot-2 guard with a 6-foot-5 wingspan, Ames spent most of his first two collegiate seasons playing point guard. He was a true combo guard at Cal last season where he averaged 16.9 points per game in a breakout season.
Tennessee envisions Ames splitting point guard and shooting guard duties next season though how its roster construction unfolds will impact that.
Ames visit overlapped with Loyola (Chicago) center Miles Rubin. The two Chicago natives have a great deal of familiarity because they played together at Parker Junior High School. After Ames committed during his visit, the guard successfully helped recruit his old teammate to join him in Knoxville for their final collegiate season.
“He asked me, ‘so I see you’ve committed?’ I told him, ‘man, our last year. We can play under a great coach. Why not? Let’s go for a national championship. Why not?’ That’s really it, for real,” Ames said. “Once I’ve seen that, I think he was on board with it.”
With Rubin and Ames in the fold, Tennessee now boosts commitments from three transfers as Barnes puts together the roster for his 12th team in Knoxville.
