Five-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr has scheduled eight official visits including one with Tennessee basketball, 247sports Dushawn London reported Saturday.
Rippey plans on visiting Tennessee from Oct. 25-26 to cap off a busy three months of visits for the blue-chip guard. He also plans on visiting Kentucky, Miami, North Carolina, Alabama, Texas, Syracuse and Indiana with Kentucky getting his first visit on the opening weekend of August.
A New Jersey native, Rippey ranks as a five-star recruit and the No. 17 player in the 2026 recruiting cycle according to the 247sports composite rankings. He also ranks as the top prep player in New Jersey and the No. 2 point guard in his class.
Rippey is widely considered one of the best perimeter defenders in the 2026 cycle. Tennessee has long targeted the blue-chip guard but it will be tough sledding for the Vols. Kentucky is currently viewed as the early favorite in Rippey’s recruitment.
More From RTI: NBA Summer League — Kennedy Chandler vs Zakai Zeigler, Chaz Lanier Set For Sunday Afternoon
Tennessee basketball has yet to land a commitment in the 2026 recruiting cycle but that is unsurprising given the early stages of the recruiting cycle.
Five prospects in the 2026 recruiting cycle have either officially or unofficially visited Tennessee so far this summer. Four-star power forward Trey Thompson and Gage Mayfield officially visited Tennessee while three-star point Sam “Deuce” Simmons Jr. and four-star guard Junior County unofficially visited in June.
Four-star point guard Miles Sadler has scheduled an official visit with Tennessee basketball for August. Thompson, a Greeneville native, reclassified into the 2025 recruiting cycle and committed to Iowa late last week.
Tennessee will sign a small high school recruiting class after adding five prep prospects in the 2025 cycle. The 2025 Tennessee basketball team also has just three seniors on its roster though more roster spots will almost certainly be open with Nate Ament projecting as a one-and-done prospect and the emergence of the transfer portal.
