Tennessee basketball landed its fourth commit in the transfer portal on Wednesday evening when Notre Dame forward Jalen Haralson committed to the Vols over North Carolina and Ohio State.
Haralson is coming off a standout freshman season where he averaged 16.2 points, four rebounds and 2.6 assists per game at Notre Dame last season.
What is Tennessee getting in Haralson and how will they use him? Taking a look here.
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What Are Haralson’s Strengths
Haralson is elite at driving to the basket and scoring at the rim. He’s a high level athlete who is a tough finisher at the rim and can score through contact.
The 6-foot-7 wing’s versatility is likely his next best attribute. He considers himself a position-less basketball player who can produce at any number of spots. Tennessee believes he can play the one through four spots.
While he has the size of a wing, Haralson plays really well with the ball in his hands and is good passer who can facilitate for teammates.
How Will Tennessee Use Haralson?
This is a tough one to evaluate because Tennessee just hasn’t had any players like this under Barnes. His size and versatility is similar to Josiah-Jordan James, and the Vols will likely use him at the small forward and power forward spot like they used James.
But the comparisons largely stop there. Haralson is a dramatically better finisher at the rim and is not as good of a shooter at this point in his career than James was.
Tennessee typically has its wing players run off pin down screens to get open shots. That doesn’t fit with Haralson, who largely scored in isolation situations last season, and his game. Notre Dame often posted Haralson up in the midrange and had him create with his back to the basket. Tennessee could do the same and utilized a similar approach with him last season.
One area Haralson will definitely thrive at Tennessee is his ability to get out and score in transition.
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Questions About Haralson’s Game
We touched on some of these in the last section, but let’s start with shooting. Haralson made just five three-pointers last season. It simply was not a part of his game. He shot 67% from the foul line for the season so while he could grow improve as a three-point shooter, a massive jump doesn’t seem likely.
Haralson’s 33.6% usage rate last season was the ninth highest nationally. For comparisons sake, Nate Ament led Tennessee with a 27.8% usage rate. Haralson’s usage rate will certainly go down next season at Tennessee. The question is about how he can fit and make a major impact with the ball in his hands less.
On the defensive end, Haralson has all the necessary tools to be an elite defender. He’s 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan and is a really good athlete. But he graded out as just a slightly above average defender last season. That seems like a potential major area of growth at Tennessee.
What Does Haralson’s Commitment Mean For Tennessee
Tennessee currently has four scholarships to work with for next season. The Vols also sit in a strong spot for four-star Chris Washington Jr. who is announcing his decision on Thursday. If Nate Ament declares for the NBA Draft then that opens up another spot.
Haralson gives Tennessee another capable wing body, one with a higher defensive ceiling then other players they have brought in, and can also play the four-spot.
Tennessee is light on bodies inside right now. If they add Washington as well then they have two solid stretch four options to give them more versatility and take a bit off that group.
