The NCAA has granted Tennessee basketball international commit Ethan Burg three years of eligibility, GoVols247’s Ben McKee first reported and a source confirmed to RTI Wednesday.
A 22-year old combo guard, Burg committed to Tennessee basketball last week after playing two seasons of professional basketball in his home country of Israel. The two years of professional basketball made burg apply for eligibility with the NCAA and is the reason he will not have four years of eligibility.
However, Burg getting three years of eligibility is a win for the Vols. Tennessee did not expect Burg to get four years and was just hopeful that he would get multiple years. It was a possibility that the NCAA granted Burg only one season.
The 6-foot-3 guard visited Tennessee at the start of this month, committing to the Vols staff on his visit. Burg didn’t announce his commitment publicly until the NCAA approved his eligibility.
Burg averaged 11.1 points on 45% from the field, 38% from three-point range and 80% from the foul line playing for Bnei Herzeliya in the Ligat Winner League last season. Playing in 24 games, the 6-foot-3 guard made 1.6 three pointers per game. He also averaged 3.4 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 0.9 steals per game.
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Burg posted similar numbers during the 2023-24 season, averaging 10.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He was less efficient shooting the ball, making 42% of his shots from the field and 29% from three-point range.
Tennessee’s newest commit is a combo guard who can play both point guard and shooting guard. However, there’s a clearer path to playing time at shooting guard at Tennessee next season.
Maryland point guard transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie is a proven power five conference, averaging 14.7 points and 4.8 assists per game on his way to earning All-Big 10 honors. Freshman point guard Troy Henderson has also impressed in practice this summer and has emerged as a legitimate combo guard option for the Vols next season.
Tennessee has brought in a handful of shooting guard options including Louisiana Tech transfer Amaree Abram, four-star freshman Amari Evans and French prep prospect Clarence Massamba. The Vols also return rising sophomore combo guard Bishop Boswell.
Burg will compete with that group, as well as Henderson, for playing time in Tennessee’s backcourt between Gillespie and five-star freshman wing Nate Ament.
