DJ Jefferson enters Portal

[OrangeBeachVol]

redshirt-freshman wing D.J. Jefferson intends to enter the transfer portal, sources confirmed to GoVols247 on Monday afternoon.

The 6-foot-5, 209-pound wing is the second Vol to transfer since the Vols' season ended. Fellow redshirt-freshman Freddie Dilione confirmed to GoVols247 last Thursday that he intends to transfer as well after playing in only 18 games this season.

 

[Special Ed]

Isn't this old news by now?
According to Weezy, Jefferson is movin' on up.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Isn't this old news by now?

Didn’t seem to have its own thread though.

 

[HalfullVol]

Interesting times

 

[CINCYVOL]

Wanted to leave, invited to leave, or a bit of both?

 

[livefaith]

Shocking.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Wanted to leave, invited to leave, or a bit of both?

After not seeing the floor this year, it was highly unlikely his scholarship was going to be renewed. He would be best suited at a mid-major. Hopefully it's one where he has a chance to shine and play in the NCAA

 

[Volfan1000]

Best of luck to Jefferson at his next destination.

 

[BACKDOC]

D J's can't hang with Barnes.

 

[BruisedOrange]

Shine, DJ. Use your experiences here to be your best version of yourself.

So once again, Barnes has left his impression on another young man's life, and they leave better prepared for life as well as their next step in basketball, even if prematurely.

That's as good as it gets in this crazy time for college athletes, for players as well as for a program. Even when guys leave, they know their time at Tennessee was not wasted, and that's a reputation that spreads.
-------
I guess it's still a "next up?" sport... it's just that coaches no longer look toward the bench to ask it.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

 

[cncchris33]

Wow...didn't think he'd fall that far

 

[omghulkhands]

Wow...didn't think he'd fall that far

I was thinking about this today from a strategic standpoint.

For a player like DJ, there might be more value going somewhere you are a guaranteed starter with high minutes and usage, so you can more easily parlay that into a better NIL when you transfer next year.

Going to a place like say, Wichita State or ECU can’t pay him much this year AND have more competition on the roster. So if you ain’t making much, might as well be a star somewhere.

I also thought about it from the perspective of 4 star recruits that typically need development and won’t play for top 25 teams in years 1 & 2.

I’m not sure they should even consider teams like UT. It might be more sound to go to like mid major or bad group of 7 team so you can work yourself into a bigger NIL faster.

 

[cncchris33]

I was thinking about this today from a strategic standpoint.

For a player like DJ, there might be more value going somewhere you are a guaranteed starter with high minutes and usage, so you can more easily parlay that into a better NIL when you transfer next year.

Going to a place like say, Wichita State or ECU can’t pay him much this year AND have more competition on the roster. So if you ain’t making much, might as well be a star somewhere.

I also thought about it from the perspective of 4 star recruits that typically need development and won’t play for top 25 teams in years 1 & 2.

I’m not sure they should even consider teams like UT. It might be more sound to go to like mid major or bad group of 7 team so you can work yourself into a bigger NIL faster.

That's actually not a terrible theory.

 

[YankeeVol]

I was thinking about this today from a strategic standpoint.

For a player like DJ, there might be more value going somewhere you are a guaranteed starter with high minutes and usage, so you can more easily parlay that into a better NIL when you transfer next year.

Going to a place like say, Wichita State or ECU can’t pay him much this year AND have more competition on the roster. So if you ain’t making much, might as well be a star somewhere.

I also thought about it from the perspective of 4 star recruits that typically need development and won’t play for top 25 teams in years 1 & 2.

I’m not sure they should even consider teams like UT. It might be more sound to go to like mid major or bad group of 7 team so you can work yourself into a bigger NIL faster.

Still a lot better places to do that than Longwood.

 

[omghulkhands]

That's actually not a terrible theory.

I've also thought about it from a coach perspective.


It's more complicated than this of course, but the simple version is,

Why recruit DJ Jefferson out of high school when he is more unknown, and unlikely to play early (therefore likely to trasnfer) when you can jsut recruit him when he is a junior or senior in college and more developed and you know what you are getting?

Why recruit any high school player that isn't elite, when you can recruit established college players?

 

[omghulkhands]

Still a lot better places to do that than Longwood.

Maybe. They were a tournament team 2 of the last 3 years and have a record of 67-33 in that time frame.

I think it's a pretty up and coming program and Aldrich is likely to move up the ranks as a coach soon. I am actually surprised he hasn't already.

 

[Vols till I fall]

I just want to know what in the world this kid did to not play the entire season

Seems like it was something really bad

 

[VolFreakJosh]

I just want to know what in the world this kid did to not play the entire season

Seems like it was something really bad

He sucked in the class room

 

[SlyStone]

I just want to know what in the world this kid did to not play the entire season

Seems like it was something really bad

As Coach Barnes would tell their parents, come to practice and you'll see why your son isn't getting in the game. I understand Coaches decision, but I hope he starts playing these kids and/or let them play through their mistakes rather than yanking them out the game.

 

[Stoked]

As Coach Barnes would tell their parents, come to practice and you'll see why your son isn't getting in the game. I understand Coaches decision, but I hope he starts playing these kids and/or let them play through their mistakes rather than yanking them out the game.

It was off court issues.

 

[walkenvol]

Surprised he didn’t land with one of Barnes’ prior assistants that have landed head coaching jobs.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Surprised he didn’t land with one of Barnes’ prior assistants that have landed head coaching jobs.

Or maybe they’ve been given a heads up about his ability to do all of the things necessary to see the court. It wouldn’t be good to invest in somebody all off season and give them heavy minutes early only to have them become ineligible in the middle of the schedule. There’s a risk involved.

 

[The Dog]

Maybe DJ and Awaka are a package deal to Longwood ? I have heard of stranger things happening

 

[walkenvol]

Maybe DJ and Awaka are a package deal to Longwood ? I have heard of stranger things happening

What are the current rumors as to where Awaka lands?