Tamba to the transfer portal

[cncchris33]

Maybe he has you confused with some else?

I mean, I hope so. I really don't know what set him off about my comment, though he seems to have walked it back a bit. I replied without having read all of the follow-up comments, including his own. If he is genuinely referring to any sort of bad history between us, I'm either unaware of it, or unintentionally have forgotten it. I hope it is a case of mistaken identity, but yeah, it certainly caught me off guard.

 

[CAVPUT]

Meant Edwards

Close enough.

 

[Volfan1000]

With Nkamhoua returning next season, I think Barnes and his staff feel comfortable with their post options for the 2022-2023 season.

Good luck to Tamba in his future endeavors.

 

[Volprofch05]

I’m not typically one to complain about how the game is being ruined by changes. However, have to admit that potentially having 8 players transfer in a 2-year period (Ticket, Pember, Walker, Anosike, Bailey, Tamba, potentially QD, and Jancek) is pretty nutty! And yes, I realize that the last one is an outlier. Not saying it’s a bad thing, just pretty wild.

 

[wmcovol]

With Nkamhoua returning next season, I think Barnes and his staff feel comfortable with their post options for the 2022-2023 season.

Good luck to Tamba in his future endeavors.

Really? I think ON is solid but to think you’re comfortable is beyond stupid.

 

[rcrrcr]

I hate he came a year early! He could of have a great senior year and had lots of choices in schools. He could have taken the tito enjoy his senior year. Hate it for him that it did not work out with the vols after making that sacrifice!

 

[NighthawkVol]

So what is the total scholarship number now (not counting Covid holdovers)? Is it 12 or 13? Because, by my count, we have 11 scholarship players now, 10 if QD leaves. I was thinking it’s 13, but I don’t remember things as well as I used to.

 

[Willy14]

So what is the total scholarship number now (not counting Covid holdovers)? Is it 12 or 13? Because, by my count, we have 11 scholarship players now, 10 if QD leaves. I was thinking it’s 13, but I don’t remember things as well as I used to.

Your right, so if QD leaves then we will have 3 spots to fill from the transfer portal/high school

 

[Willy14]

Heck Barnes might pull out an international player like Vescovi out of nowhere to fill a spot

 

[cncchris33]

So what is the total scholarship number now (not counting Covid holdovers)? Is it 12 or 13? Because, by my count, we have 11 scholarship players now, 10 if QD leaves. I was thinking it’s 13, but I don’t remember things as well as I used to.

Yes, still 13. Any Covid holdover beyond this season count toward that 13.

 

[brentcontractor]

I’m not typically one to complain about how the game is being ruined by changes. However, have to admit that potentially having 8 players transfer in a 2-year period (Ticket, Pember, Walker, Anosike, Bailey, Tamba, potentially QD, and Jancek) is pretty nutty! And yes, I realize that the last one is an outlier. Not saying it’s a bad thing, just pretty wild.

I don't like the trend either however on the other hand, I like the fact that our "old" coach can pivot with the times. It does make everyone accoutable. Players have to earn their scholarship every year. Coaches have to treat players fair and keep promises.

 

[Orange Raid]

I don't know that he was a rim proector, as he only averaged 1.4 blocks per game in high school and he probably faced a lot of 6'3 centers in East Tennessee. Right now we have 6'10 BHH if he returns, 6'11 Aidoo, and 7'1 Uros with eligibility left.

This is his 247 Bio:
Has plus length for a center as a 7-footer. Solid athlete. Plays with an exceptional motor. Seeks the ball off the glass and runs the floor well with no mental hesitation in transitioning. Limited offensively. Raw and mechanical. Does have a right handed jump hook with potential to be a reliable weapon. Not a ball handler but will take care of the ball and execute the simple pass. Works for position defensively and can block shots and will move his feet. Will not get out worked on the boards.
We are very lucky to have BHH probably for 1 more year, Aidoo helps, and Uros played better this year but has been a hot or cold player throughout his career and is going to be a senior. I think we still need a you guy like Tamba. We would have him for 4 more years.

 

[WhatInVolnation]

Tamba transferring is strange to me. He reclassified specifically to go to UT and was a well-known project take by UT. I thought the view on him was maybe he was going to develop into something solid like Kyle Alexander and maybe not but the staff was banking on being able to develop him. He redshirted, as expected, this past season and the posts in front of him as a redshirt-freshman for 2022-2023 are ON (a senior), Uros (a senior), BHH (a sophomore), and Aidoo (a sophomore) with BHH and Aidoo likely wanting to develop and leave early for the NBA given their lofty recruiting rankings. It remains to be seen if BHH and Aidoo develop enough to leave early but the door seems wide open to ample playing time for Tamba in 2023-2024 almost no matter what and I thought that 2023-2024 was the earliest anyone really expected him to play anyway given the reclassification and that he was viewed as a project to begin with.

Maybe the staff doesn't think he has enough to develop. Maybe he regrets reclassifying or doesn't feel welcome in Knoxville. I don't know what transpired but this is somewhat puzzling to me.

 

[johnfnkelly]

This is his 247 Bio:
Has plus length for a center as a 7-footer. Solid athlete. Plays with an exceptional motor. Seeks the ball off the glass and runs the floor well with no mental hesitation in transitioning. Limited offensively. Raw and mechanical. Does have a right handed jump hook with potential to be a reliable weapon. Not a ball handler but will take care of the ball and execute the simple pass. Works for position defensively and can block shots and will move his feet. Will not get out worked on the boards.
We are very lucky to have BHH probably for 1 more year, Aidoo helps, and Uros played better this year but has been a hot or cold player throughout his career and is going to be a senior. I think we still need a you guy like Tamba. We would have him for 4 more years.

Whoever measured Tamba at 7ft is blind.



He's shorter than Fulky who's 6'9.

 

[NighthawkVol]

Yes, still 13. Any Covid holdover beyond this season count toward that 13.

Don’t be dismissive with me!!!

(Thanks. )

 

[IndianaVol]

I’m not typically one to complain about how the game is being ruined by changes. However, have to admit that potentially having 8 players transfer in a 2-year period (Ticket, Pember, Walker, Anosike, Bailey, Tamba, potentially QD, and Jancek) is pretty nutty! And yes, I realize that the last one is an outlier. Not saying it’s a bad thing, just pretty wild.

My brother and I were just talking about this yesterday. When we were growing up in KY (yeah, I know...Mom and Dad's choice, not mine LOL) we could list off several players from college squads - not just UT, but UK, Louisville, KU, Duke, etc.

Now with the transfer portal along with the one and done rules, it's hard to keep up with players.
I think it's good and bad - good in that as a fan you become even more loyal to a school rather than a squad, plus you have to pay closer attention to how your team is changing.
Then again bad for those very same reasons as it is hard to keep track of incoming and outgoing players as well as have any kind of loyalty to them after college.
Good case in point was Alan Houston, because of him I kept track of the Pistons for a couple of years.

 

[SlyStone]

Does anyone know if Nkamhoua will ready to go for opening tip this fall? Seems like these ankle and leg injuries take longer to heal/rehab than back in the day.

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

Really hate that Tamba is leaving. You can’t teach height and we’ve had very few rim protectors over the years. Hope QD doesn’t leave too. I think he could be a big time scorer for us down the road.

Does anybody know what Tamba thinks about this departure? What about Coach? Could be a win/win if they both learned what they needed to know in practice against our other bigs. Never a fan of turnover, but with the portal guess we all better get used to it. Like everything else, we will probably win some and lose some.

 

[VolArmy74]

Whoever measured Tamba at 7ft is blind.

View attachment 445327

He's shorter than Fulky who's 6'9.

They apparently didn't watch him play either. He averaged 5.4rpg but he supposedly sought the ball off the glass for rebounds? My favorite local HS team has a 6'4 center and he averaged 14rpg this season in AAAA basketball in East Tn.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

They apparently didn't watch him play either. He averaged 5.4rpg but he supposedly sought the ball off the glass for rebounds? My favorite local HS team has a 6'4 center and he averaged 14rpg this season in AAAA basketball in East Tn.

What harm did taking Tamba do?

 

[VolArmy74]

What harm did taking Tamba do?

I don't know that it did any harm. I don't know if we could have used the scholarship on another player or not that late and it was likely a favor to Maze. I'm not saying it did harm, just that Tamba was not in reality the player Meyer described in that blurb. A player with his size should dominate in East Tennessee high school basketball. Especially if he was an elite athlete that had his listed size. Him moving on doesn't move the needle in a negative direction as the post I was responding to initially indicated.

 

[Volfan1000]

Whoever measured Tamba at 7ft is blind.

View attachment 445327

He's shorter than Fulky who's 6'9.

Tamba is like 6'7 and a half to 6'8.

 

[Col_Cathcart]

So if I put on my tinfoil hat, could this have been the plan all along? Tamba might get more interest in the portal with “Tennessee” next to his name than he would have gotten if he was coming out of HS after another year with underwhelming stats. He also got a year of quality coaching. UT got an extra practice player on short notice and improved some connections. Plus we got a lottery ticket that didn’t pan out, but if it had it would have been nice. Seems like everybody won all the way around.

 

[orangemadam]

No, I don't have a link, didn't think I would come back to this item but other articles mention Tamba just wasn't getting it - was not progressing (i.e. had no clue).

Most likely a mutual parting. I guess UT took him maybe to help Maze or help suade Edwards, etc. but maybe they just didn't scout him well enough. Probably should not have taken him..

 

[cncchris33]

So if I put on my tinfoil hat, could this have been the plan all along? Tamba might get more interest in the portal with “Tennessee” next to his name than he would have gotten if he was coming out of HS after another year with underwhelming stats. He also got a year of quality coaching. UT got an extra practice player on short notice and improved some connections. Plus we got a lottery ticket that didn’t pan out, but if it had it would have been nice. Seems like everybody won all the way around.

This is hilarious, because I had the exact same post typed out earlier, complete with Tinfoil Hat Warning .

I deleted it before posting because I thought to myself, I've got a lot going on tonight and zero time or patience to defend my stance to thise who will stand in opposition.