Tennessee basketball’s summer practices come to a close this week as Rick Barnes’ 11th Volunteer team concludes their first two months of work together.
The Vols have held two practices open to the media, and RTI has spoken to multiple people around the Tennessee program about the early impressions of the 2025-26 team. Here’s what we’ve seen in the two practices we’ve watched and what we’ve heard from those around program.
Of course, the feelings around almost every college basketball are positive this time of year so take the notes with a grain of salt.
*International prospects Ethan Burg and Clarence Massamba have not yet arrived on campus.
More From RTI: Tennessee Basketball in Top 12 for Five-Star Point Guard
Backcourt
Tennessee’s biggest addition in the transfer portal was Maryland point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie and the Greenville native has been as advertised this summer. After averaging 14.7 points and 4.8 assists on his way to earning Third Team All-Big 10 honors last season, Gillespie looks like he could take another step forward in his senior season.
Gillespie has shot the ball extremely well this summer and impressed me with his ability to get to and finish at the basket. Overall, the 6-foot-1 point guard has been very steady this summer and that’s what Tennessee needs from him this season.
The two-guard spot is the most interesting spot on Tennessee’s roster and there’s been little separation from that group this summer as a bounty of players compete for playing time and the starting spot.
One source told RTI that Louisiana Tech shooting guard Amaree Abram has been the most consistent shooting guard to date. The lefty has shot the ball well, even better than expected, this summer and has been solid on the defensive end of the court. Abram doesn’t do a ton to create offense but he’s a good spot-up shooter and has college experience that no one else in the competition for minutes does.
Troy Henderson and Bishop Boswell are a bit of a yin and yang as combo guard options. The true freshman Henderson has been a pleasant surprise and really impressive on the offensive end of the court. Tennessee trusts Henderson to handle the basketball, and he’s shot the ball well from both three-point range and the midrange. The 6-foot-1 guard just plays with a great deal of confidence on the offensive end.
The question for Henderson is going to be his defense. Tennessee is challenging him to guard Gillespie as much as possible to try and improve his defense. If he can become steady enough defensively I believe Henderson will really help this team.
On the opposite end, Boswell could be Tennessee’s best perimeter defender this season and has finished the summer strong. He’s shown some improvements on the offensive end of the court and if he can just give the Vols something on that end it would be big. His defense will certainly earn him a role on this team.
Amari Evans has not practiced either day the media has watched, first with a minor ankle injury that cost him little time but then while in concussion protocol— which sidelined him for a bit longer.
Evans was widely regarded as one of the best defensive guards in the 2025 recruiting cycle and he’s been good on that end. He was making strides offensively before the concussion protocol sidelined him in the middle of this month. Evans hasn’t created a ton but was starting to shoot the ball better and makes the right read offensively.
Then there’s Nate Ament who has done nothing to temper expectations this summer. The five-star freshman suffered a minor left-wrist injury and has been wearing a brace for precautionary reasons while mostly doing individual work during practice over the last two weeks. The injury isn’t serious but Tennessee is taking things slow with him due to the time of year.
Ament has been fantastic on the offensive end of the court, show an ability to score at all three levels consistently. His ability to get to his spots in the midrange and knock down nearly unguardable shots is extremely impressive.
One of the most exciting things I’ve heard about Ament is on the mental side. He takes Barnes’ hard coaching well and never has bad body language— something you always wonder about with a recruit of his status. I leave the summer more excited about Ament than I was entering it. One prediction I’m not quite ready to make but I’m monitoring— Ament will play more at the two-spot than the four-spot. Truly a guard skillset.
More From RTI: Tennessee Basketball Listed in Top Schools for Elite Power Forward Recruit
Frontcourt
Part of me tinkering with the Ament at the two-guard minutes prediction has to do with his skillset. The other has to do with how bullish I am on Tennessee’s front court despite that group struggling to stay completely healthy this summer.
Cade Phillips has missed the last few weeks with a left shoulder injury and is likely not going to practice this final week of the summer though there is not long term concern with the injury. Phillips was one of Tennessee’s most improved players last season and continues to get better. He’s shown a bit more offensive game before the summer injury and has gotten work at the three-spot. How well he can shoot from three-point range remains the question that will dictate how much Phillips can play on the wing.
Vanderbilt transfer Jaylen Carey missed some time early in the summer due to illness, but has been finding his groove as of late. He’s an absolute force physically and has been dominant on the glass. With Phillips and Carey playing a bulk of minutes at the four-spot, Tennessee should be one of the country’s best rebounding teams next season.
Carey can shoot it a little but has impressed more with his ability to create space and score in the low post. The 6-foot-8 forward has also impressed people in Tennessee’s program with his work ethic.
Felix Okpara is the most known commodity in this room as the one returning starter from last season’s Elite Eight team. The senior center was great offensively in the second practice the media watched, showing better touch around the rim and even stepping out and hitting corner threes. That was apparently one of Okpara’s best days of the summer though he has continued to show offensive growth.
Another area those around the program have complimentary of Okpara is his leadership. He’s apparently taken a step forward there over the offseason, becoming more vocal in his second year in the Tennessee program. With all the leaders Tennessee lost, that’s an under the radar development that matters.
JP Estrella still isn’t full-go as he works back from the foot injury that cost him most his sophomore season. The 6-foot-11 big man is doing more-and-more team activities and has impressed on the offensive end as is the expectation with the Maine native.
Lastly, four-star freshman DeWayne Brown has been a minor but pleasant surprise. The Hoover native has good touch around the rim and a decent midrange game. However, I remain skeptical about the size of his role this season unless one of the four pre-mentioned players misses time due to injury.
Tennessee is holding its final summer practice open to the media this week and Barnes will meet with the media beforehand. We will have more updates then.
