Juke Harris was the crown jewel of Tennessee basketball’s highly-touted transfer portal class this spring, choosing the Vols over Michigan and North Carolina after withdrawing from the 2026 NBA Draft.
Harris comes to Tennessee after averaging 21.4 points and making 87 total three-pointers at a 33.3% clip in his sophomore season at Wake Forest. The Vols finished runner up for Harris out of high school but got to the finish line and landed Harris the second time around.
With his first summer in Knoxville wrapping up, the best part of Harris’ first months at Tennessee have been simple.
“Just getting coached by Rick Barnes,” Harris said on Thursday. “I feel like you come here, you unlock something that you probably wouldn’t unlock if you didn’t come here. So I feel like I unlocked being mentally, mentally strong, being able to play through contact, being able to be a dog on a defense end. Like, I never thought I’d be type decent on defense, but I feel like I’ve seen develop and I feel like it’s going to show this year.”
Playing for Barnes is a challenge. The last of a dying breed, Barnes is an old school coach who demands much of his players— especially the star players.
Harris would have been a borderline first round pick in this summer’s NBA Draft. Tennessee is looking to develop his game and make him a more complete player. That includes improving as a defender and a rebounder at his long 6-foot-7 frame.
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The highly touted transfer said that Barnes is unlocking something in him. What does he believe that is?
“I don’t want to say what it is, but I feel like as the game goes on, we get deeper into the games where everybody’s tired, everybody clocking out, and we still need to push through four more minutes left in a close game,” Harris said. “Then you will see it unlocked then. You will see it.”
Meeting with the media, Barnes shared that Harris is a stronger player than he gives himself credit for and a better passer that most would expect.
Harris heard lots, both in high school and during his portal recruitment, about what playing for Barnes was like. He knew it would be a challenge, but there’s one thing that has particularly impressive about the veteran head coach.
“He’s going to be the same regardless of what’s going on,” Harris said. “He’s going to coach hard. He’s going to make sure everything he’s going to let you know if something’s not going right, he’s going to let you know. He’s not going to sugar coat nothing with you. So I really do appreciate that. I feel like that’s something I needed, so that’s a reason why I chose to come here.”
Tennessee concludes its summer workouts next Thursday before the team gets a few weeks off before the fall semester begins in mid August.
