Tennessee basketball’s 2026 season came to an end at the United Center in Chicago, again a win short of the first Final Four appearance in program history. It soon became, ironically, clear that Chicago would have a major imprint on the Vols’ 2022-27 roster as Rick Barnes’ program looks to get over the hump and make the first Final Four in program history.
Two weekends later, Tennessee landed its first two commits in the transfer portal with Cal combo guard Dai Dai Ames and Loyola (Chicago) center Miles Rubin choosing the Vols over a number of programs. Both Ames and Rubin are Chicago natives and even played middle school basketball together. The duo, along with freshman point guard Marquis Clark, gives Tennessee three Chicago natives on its roster for next season.
“It’s three of us from Chicago,” Ames said last week. “We finna bring that toughness out of everybody, so it’s gonna be good.”
Clark’s path epitomizes Chicago toughness. The 6-foot-1 point guard was under recruited coming out of high school. Tennessee was his only power five offer despite Clark averaging 30 points, eight rebounds and five assists per game while earning All-City honors for his play during his senior season at Whitney Young High School.
“Just a dog,” Ames said of Clark. “We both come from Chicago. He got that grit like I got. He remind me of myself a little bit when I was a freshman.”
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Ames and Rubin are more seasoned in college basketball as they enter their senior seasons with different collegiate journeys. Ames will play at four schools in four years while Rubin spent the first three years of his career at Loyola (Chicago).
Both project to have major roles next season and Tennessee badly needs Rubin to provide physicality and toughness inside. He was a standout shot blocker in the A10. If he proves to be a force at the rim in the SEC then it can change Tennessee’s season.
“We got to be on the court and play tough every time we step on the court,” Ames said. “We can’t back down from nobody, you got to be the toughest team on the court.”
If Tennessee can play with the Chicago toughness that Ames describes then they will be a tough out next season. Barnes and his staff targeted shot making in the transfer portal and added a number of extremely talented and proven scorers.
The challenge for Barnes is to continue the program’s extremely high defensive standards with more offensive minded players. Ames, Rubin and Clark bringing Chicago toughness will go a long way.
