2026 Lady Vols Recruiting

[lfvol]

I really hope we get her, I really like her game. But my gut tells me Sc for some reason.

We seem pretty desperate for a big. So you’d think rounding up the necessary NIL would be top priority and the dollars for her wouldn’t be all that big. We can’t afford to struggle next year.

 

[NeedOrange]

It’s a players dad.

for real? Well, there is one thing Kim can learn from Geno, evaluate the families of those you offer. He learned that the hard way.

 

[NeedOrange]

Oh well she's going there. or Texas.

Bad news is her mom played at Vandy and she wants to stay close to home. It's either Vandy or UK

 

[DarkPhoenix]

We seem pretty desperate for a big. So you’d think rounding up the necessary NIL would be top priority and the dollars for her wouldn’t be all that big. We can’t afford to struggle next year.

We should have the money, we’re losing Amit of players. But does she want to be subbed out every 60 secs is the question.

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

Oliviyah Big Oh Edwards and the Tennessee Lady Vols just went federal it’s over.. the best “big” in HS heading to Rocky Top.
I’ve said it before this kid could play college basketball in the SEC right now. Today.
GBO.

 

[LadyVolsDiehard]

Okeke is deciding between Tennessee, UConn, Sc, and LSU. Guess it will be a miracle for us to get her out of that bunch we do offer immediate playing time next season guess they all do also.

Besides the winning program dynamic, wonder what the price tag will be to get her. She and Edwards in the frontcourt would be fantastic but Kim would have to allow her frontcourt to shine and not just regulated them to being stretch 4/3s.

 

[LVFL78]

S

Nyla had an uncle who talked a lot. But I don’t get why he’d hang around here to crazy talk.

It makes me sad every time I see Nyla at NC.. She wanted to be an LV so bad, one of those kids who really appreciated the brand and the legacy.

It’s a current player…

 

[LVFL78]

Okeke is deciding between Tennessee, UConn, Sc, and LSU. Guess it will be a miracle for us to get her out of that bunch we do offer immediate playing time next season guess they all do also.

That’s false news and her handler said that about a month ago.

 

[LadyVolsDiehard]

S

Nyla had an uncle who talked a lot. But I don’t get why he’d hang around here to crazy talk.

It makes me sad every time I see Nyla at NC.. She wanted to be an LV so bad, one of those kids who really appreciated the brand and the legacy.

Oh well she wanted to play for Kellie. I hate that Nyla is being wasted at UNC but hey Jordan brand money.

 

[LadyVolsDiehard]

Bad news is her mom played at Vandy and she wants to stay close to home. It's either Vandy or UK

If she goes to Vandy she stays home at least

 

[RetroVol]

An interesting question is, what will Kim's recruiting pitch be this spring? Don't think we can know, but it is interesting to speculate.

For bigs:

** "I'm not looking for the female Shaq. I'm looking for the female Luka Dončić. You can score in the paint, go to either hand, pass, shoot outside. And you are a better defender. Come show it all for the Lady Vols!"

To recruit Okeke, "There are buckets, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals aplenty for you and Oliviyah. I don't recruit bigs who can't run, slash to the basket, and shoot the three. I told Oliviyah I wanted the female Luka Dončić, and with two of you, I think we can blast women's basketball to a new level. Everyone will be struggling to keep up. Maybe you don't think that is possible, but if you are up for it, let's Go Big Orange!"

And, yes. I read a lot of fantasy. Why do you ask?

 

[RetroVol]

And I admit, how we finish will affect her recruiting pitch. Let me dream, okay?

 

[Volfan2012]

That’s false news and her handler said that about a month ago.

Ok I know they keep posting it think she is going to play one season of college so guess we'll find out eventually.

 

[chuckiepoo]

Ok I know they keep posting it think she is going to play one season of college so guess we'll find out eventually.

All about that bag…

 

[southie]

There’s absolutely no issue with the talent.. it’s post like this all over social media. Now I’ll say I don’t endorse a coaching change. Coach Caldwell is a good coach. She has to grow her system though. It can’t stay the same and needs to be revised to fit her roster from year to year.
There’s still a chance to get it rolling. If it clicks Tennessee can beat any team in the SEC. If they player as hard in the 1st half as they did today on the road against UConn they beat the brakes off Vanderbilt, Georgia, Missouri, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss.
If they play like they did in the 1st half today against UConn they will beat Texas, Oklahoma, and LSU with SC on the road being a toss-up.


Top 5 roster

Is it another "frenzy" ?

 

[VA_VOLFAN]

It’s a players dad.

the post was ?

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

Coach Caldwell has added the same number of HS McDonald’s All-Americans in 21 months at Tennessee as the Texas HC has in the same timeframe and she just got here you might want to sit this one out with the goofy jokes .
The last time Texas WBB won a national championship was decades ago (1986) on top of that… yikes!

Is it another "frenzy" ?

 

[southie]

Coach Caldwell has added the same number of HS McDonald’s All-Americans in 21 months at Tennessee as the Texas HC has in the same timeframe and she just got here you might want to sit this one out with the goofy jokes .
The last time Texas WBB won a national championship was decades ago (1986) on top of that… yikes!

You made up this social media "frenzy" several months ago that was never actually happening. If anyone needs to sit out a bit it's you as you need a reality check. Quit making things up!

 

[Vfl83]

I don't care you have to find a spot for her on this team. We are missing out

ESPN Cleveland, TN 101.3

Kimora Fields Earns National Recognition, Continues Historic Career at Bradley Central Kimora Fields has never needed hype to validate her game. The results have done that for her. The Bradley...

www.facebook.com

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

Like I said, you would come back with a 2nd post dumber than the 1st one. The same amount of McDonald’s All-Americans (4) as the HC at Texas in 21 months on the job in the same timeframe.

More than UConn who has 1 in the past 21 months.
More than SC who has 3 in the past 21 months.
More than LSU who has 3 in the last 21 months.
More than Oklahoma who has 1 in the last 21 months.
More than USC who has 2 in the last 21 months.
More than UCLA who has 1 in the last 21 months.
Texas ain’t won a national championship in decades (1986) to be exact.
You might need to look up the definition of frenzy because nobody and I mean nobody has had more recruiting success in their first 21 months in a new job as Coach Caldwell.

And you in here lying about made up.. got to be delusional everything in this statement and the one before.. the one you came out of nowhere talking to me about is 100% factual.
In addition to the (4) McDonald’s All-Americans she signed (3) Top 50 signees.

You made up this social media "frenzy" several months ago that was never actually happening. If anyone needs to sit out a bit it's you as you need a reality check. Quit making things up!

 

[glv98]

All about that bag…

Is this fair? Do we know this? And if it is, is that a bad thing? There are so many family and other circumstances we can't know.

Not picking on you chuckie, but we've currently got a poster, Retrovol, who is quick to leap in as defense attorney every time someone presupposes a negative motivation or thought process for CKC. Reminds us that it's really not fair to post character assessments that we have no way of knowin.g I'm curious why he's not as much an advocate for players. Maybe you can only have one online client at a time.

 

[RetroVol]

Aieee! I've been called out! I'll think about this. Part of it is that the imputation of thoughts and emotions to players is often based on observed behavior on the court. Still not good, but better than imputations that seem to claim inside knowledge and that contradict available observations about the individual.

I actually have defended some players. For example, I've suggested that what some perceive as "disinterest" or whatever by Talaysia is just her kind of default persona on the court -- that she looks a lot the same when she is performing at a high level and the team is winning and when she is not.

I'm basically okay with "I saw this" or "She said this" and "Therefore, I conclude..." At least we know we're in the poster's mind, not the mind of the subject of the post. It's clearly labeled as a projection. We all have to do that, all the time. But when we are explicit about tying our conclusions to observable behaviors, we have a better chance of both being more open to various interpretations of those behaviors and more generous in the ones we generate.

I'm not making a commitment to police this board -- absolutely not! -- but I'm certainly open to questioning if I consistently apply my standards.

 

[RetroVol]

Oh, and as for players paying attention to the money they are being offered. I don't object at all. In some cases, it's life changing amounts of money, for players and families.

On the other hand, when the money becomes "why" the player is playing -- extrinsic motivation pushing out intrinsic -- it's pretty well established that reduces the player's enjoyment of the game, commitment to improve, etc. "For Love of the Game" vs. "Show me the money!" Anyone who is successful at something where large amounts of external rewards are available has to learn to deal with how they treat those rewards vs. the personal satisfactions that got them into the activity in the first place. In some ways, I think Kim's "I don't want to think about money when I look at a player," is exactly right, and I hope players feel the same when they look at a ball and a court.

 

[glv98]

Aieee! I've been called out! I'll think about this. Part of it is that the imputation of thoughts and emotions to players is often based on observed behavior on the court. Still not good, but better than imputations that seem to claim inside knowledge and that contradict available observations about the individual.

I actually have defended some players. For example, I've suggested that what some perceive as "disinterest" or whatever by Talaysia is just her kind of default persona on the court -- that she looks a lot the same when she is performing at a high level and the team is winning and when she is not.

I'm basically okay with "I saw this" or "She said this" and "Therefore, I conclude..." At least we know we're in the poster's mind, not the mind of the subject of the post. It's clearly labeled as a projection. We all have to do that, all the time. But when we are explicit about tying our conclusions to observable behaviors, we have a better chance of both being more open to various interpretations of those behaviors and more generous in the ones we generate.

I'm not making a commitment to police this board -- absolutely not! -- but I'm certainly open to questioning if I consistently apply my standards.

What is the observed behavior that allows one to conclude the sole motivation of a recruit is money? IMO thats no different than seeing CKC continuing to push an unsuccessful system and conclude she’s stubborn, which you objected to.

Regarding the discussion of player effort, I’ve been one of the biggest defenders of that and objectors to labeling players that way in the history of this board. I’ve always thought it was inherently silly to think players did not want to play well above everything else. Even if it’s selfishly driven, who wants to look bad on TV?Who wants to crater their NIL valuation, and who wants to blow up any chance of playing in the W? Totally agree that some players like coop just have that certain look on the court, which can be mistaken as un caring.

However, watching the second half of the UConn game, I could just come to no other conclusion than that for some reason coop is just not able to give effort on a consistent basis right now. And I already knew that about Barker.

It’s such a shame because both of them are absolutely torpedoing their professional chances.
I,ve often said Cooper has Rickea level talent, but a Horston level fragile head (though quickly add I never thought Jordy lacked effort, just focus) It’s one of the most vexing and difficult aspects of coaching, and I know everyone is trying as hard as they can to solve the riddles.

 

[glv98]

Oh, and as for players paying attention to the money they are being offered. I don't object at all. In some cases, it's life changing amounts of money, for players and families.

On the other hand, when the money becomes "why" the player is playing -- extrinsic motivation pushing out intrinsic -- it's pretty well established that reduces the pl;ayer's enjoyment of the game, commitment to improve, etc. "For Love of the Game" vs. "Show me the money!" Anyone who is successful at something where large amounts of external rewards are available has to learn to deal with how they treat those rewards vs. the personal satisfactions that got them into the activity in the first place. In some ways, I think Kim's "I don't want to think about money when I look at a player," is exactly right, and I hope players feel the same when they look at a ball and a court.

I agree with most of this. Which is why I think it’s a little unfair to conclude for any recruit it’s only about the bag.

I could be wrong, but I’ve always assumed at a certain level recruit, the money is going to be pretty similar wherever they go, and future prospects for earning are really good. So they’re free to look at other aspects of the program.

Also agree that we have no idea the family circumstances of many and what a deep obligation it is for them to actually chase a bag. For some, it’s the only chance their family will ever have.

OTOH, the last paragraph about when money becomes the why is once again the territory you’ve objected to. Because unless the recruit comes out and says that, you can’t actually know it.