Tennessee basketball officially announced the signing of Cal combo guard Dai Dai Ames on Wednesday afternoon. Ames committed to the Vols on Saturday over a top group that included Ole Miss, Kansas and Xavier.
Ames is coming off a strong junior season at Cal where he averaged 16.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and two steals per game. The 6-foot-2 guard was an efficient scorer, shooting 46.4% from the field, 37.6% from three-point range and 85% from the foul line.
“Dai Dai can make shots in late-clock situations, which is a skill we were looking for in the portal. He is a crafty lefty with a strong frame who can finish at the rim through contact, as well as a superb movement shooter and an elite midrange scorer. All of that makes him a great fit for our system. Dai Dai really wants to be part of a winning team and contend for championships.”
Ames earned Third Team All-ACC honors during his junior season. Tennessee assistant coach Amorrow Morgan helped recruit Ames to Cal last offseason before ending up in Knoxville. The two reunite one year later at Tennessee.
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The 6-foot-2 guard was the leading scorer on a Cal team that went 22-12 and made it to the NIT a season ago. His 25.2% usage rate was second on the Golden Bears behind Justin Pippen.
Barnes discussed Ames’ competitiveness in his statement. The guard’s shared competitiveness with the Vols’ head coach was part of what attracted him to Tennessee,
“I can just tell that he’s a winner,” Ames said of Barnes to RTI. “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.”
Ames is one of three transfers that has signed with Tennessee this offseason along with Belmont sharpshooter Tyler Lundblade and Loyola (Chicago) center Miles Rubin.
