Rick Barnes is reshaping the Tennessee basketball roster after another encouraging season that saw the Volunteers make the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
But with all five starters from last season gone, Barnes has his work cut out as he looks to make Tennessee a force in the SEC once again.
Here’s the latest on the departures and additions at Tennessee ahead of the 2026-27 college basketball season.
Tennessee Volunteers’ 2026 Transfer Portal Tracker
Players Leaving in the Transfer Portal
- J.P. Estrella
- Bishop Boswell
- Jaylen Carey
- Amari Evans
- Cade Phillips
- Clarence Massamba
- Ethan Burg
Amid the wholesale changes to the Tennessee roster, several players are leaving in the transfer portal. Estrella is headed to Michigan after averaging 10.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 59.6% from the field.
Boswell has committed to Maryland after averaging 6.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in his sophomore year with the Volunteers.
Carey is on his way to Missouri for his senior year. The forward had 7.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game last season.
Evans will join Texas for his sophomore year after coming off the bench and averaging 4.1 points for Tennessee last season.
Phillips was limited to just 10 appearances for Tennessee in his junior year due to a shoulder injury. He has committed to Texas A&M for his senior year.
Massamba has yet to make a final decision on his next school. He averaged 3.5 minutes per game in 12 appearances for Tennessee in his freshman year.
Burg averaged 2.5 points in 10.7 minutes per game for Tennessee last season. He has decided to return home to Israel to be closer to his family.
Confirmed Departures
- Nate Ament
- Ja’Kobi Gillespie
- Felix Okpara
- Amaree Abram
- Grant Hurst
Ament enjoyed a standout freshman year with Tennessee but will not return next year after declaring for the NBA Draft. The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.0 steals per game for the Volunteers.
Gillespie was Tennessee’s top scorer last season, averaging 18.4 points per game. He will not be returning next year either, as he has exhausted his eligibility.
Okpara also played a key role as a starter for Tennessee last season. He is also out of eligibility after averaging 8.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in his senior year.
Abram came off the bench for Tennessee in his senior year and averaged 3.2 points per game. Hurst only played once in his senior year for Tennessee. Both players have now exhausted their college eligibility after graduating.
Incoming Players at Tennessee
- Dai Dai Ames
- Miles Rubin
- Tyler Lundblade
- Terrence Hill Jr.
- Jalen Haralson
- Braedan Lue
- Chris Washington Jr.
- Manny Green
- Marquis Clark
- Ralph Scott
Barnes has been busy in the transfer portal, bringing in several talented players to bolster his roster. Ames joins from Cal after a breakthrough junior year that saw him average 16.9 points on 46.4% shooting.
Rubin arrives at Tennessee after an impressive junior year with Loyola Chicago. The 6-foot-10 center averaged 11.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game last season.
Lundblade is a graduate student who spent the last two seasons at Belmont. The guard averaged 15.6 points and shot 40.6% from the three-point line last season.
Hill joins Tennessee from VCU, where he averaged 15.0 points and 2.8 assists per game last season. Haralson spent his freshman year with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, averaging 16.2 points per game. The forward shot 51.5% from the field.
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Lue is also coming off a strong year with the Kennesaw State Owls, where he averaged 10.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Washington Jr., Green, Clark, and Scott are part of Tennessee’s 2026 recruiting class.
