I think that’s definitely in the realm of possibilities. What I know is that we’ve been in a dialogue with someone who would meaningfully contribute (starter) at the two, for over a month. What I don’t know is what is stopping him or us from acting on it (committed but needs to be released, fifth year waiting for clearance, international awaiting rulings etc). I’m not trying to play a guessing game with everyone. I just don’t have the access I used to. Hopefully that will loosen up again.
I don’t have any intel on this matter so don’t anybody take what I’m saying as insider or think it’s a hint, I’m just talking out loud and giving some material during a slow time…
From the high school ranks 2 guys would make sense…Alijah Arenas & Brayden Burries. Both are at schools that have added quite a bit through the portal and maybe that has changed their view on those schools from how they saw them a couple months ago. Either one probably walks into a starting spot and 25-30mpg here. Obviously we recruited Burries for a long time so that relationship is there, I’m unaware of any Arenas connection, but he appears to be unsigned still and as I said would make sense in many ways as far as fit.
Transfer portal wise, there really isn’t anything that’s uncommitted. Derrick Butler, Sean Durugordon, Ali Dibba, Jarvis Moss, Camron McDowell & John Buggs lll are names I continue to monitor but at this point there’s nothing that’s would have stopped us from adding them already as you’ve mentioned so that seems unlikely. Also of all those names none would be clear head and shoulders above Abram, they’d be expected to compete for any minutes and not a sure fire starter by any means, so those seem less likely. As for transfers who have committed elsewhere, obviously that could be anyone so no need to really list names, tons of guys would make sense, but each day that passes that seems increasingly less likely of an option. Kids are showing up on campus and practices have started, doesn’t seem likely there’s many kids out there who could still back out and back into the portal.
I’m sure there’s many 5th year guys that we’ve monitored also, we have our own 2, but then you’ve also got kids trying to get a year back for medical reasons, and guys trying to get a year back for D2 because JUCO guys got a year back. I don’t know all of these guys but one I have mentioned who would make a ton of sense is Pjay Smith from Furman, one of the best 3pt shooters in CBB last year, excels off the ball, Tennessee kid that was born here and played 2 years of D2 ball right down the road, makes a lot of sense. He’s requested a waiver and is trying to get a 5th year because of those D2 years, to this point it hasn’t happened, but would make a lot of sense if he was to get a waiver.
Internationally, names are starting to dry up, and there’s also been a lot of issues popping up in the last week with many who have committed. This is the most international guys we’ve seen come to the states, there’s 21 & 22 year olds coming over and the NCAA has no clue what to do with them, give them 1 year, 2 years, 4 years of eligibility? Also some current issues schools are presenting that being paid could cause issues with their visas, lots of uncertainty, many schools have taken kids but I could see maybe Tennessee wants clarity before seemingly using a valuable spot on an uncertainty. One name I’m watching though is Ilija Milijasevic, he’s regarded as one of the best 3pt shooters in Europe, he’s 21 years old and has been playing pro ball for years, this is equivalent of adding someone from MM or lower HM that’s been playing at that level for 3 years, you’d expect experience, and a decent translation to the college game, unlike say a 18 year old international kid. He is from Serbia and last year played on a team with, wait for it, Uros Plavsic, so guessing there’s a connection there. Drazen Zlovaric who was on staff here and a huge part of Uros being here is also an agent over in Serbia and has ties all throughout that area. Ilija plays on the same team over there that this year has already sent guys to Kentucky, Auburn Illinois, Miami, Mississippi State & the NBA Draft.
