Team News (current roster)

Yeah, pretty annoying. Don't really hear anything from Ramey, Wilson, or Rob about hoops during the summer. Granted, there isn't a ton happening, but that doesn't stop people when it comes to football. Tons of offseason articles get written about football. Basketball? Not really any.

We pretty much know what happened with Justin Edwards and missing out on him but for Rob to not even mention it on the Volquest pod is annoying. At least give a little insight to where they are shifting their focus now.
 
I mean that’s 9, you just eliminated Mashack, which very well could be the case…I don’t believe Barnes has never stuck with the same 9 all year (whether injury or doghouse etc) so I doubt it happens this year.
If we end up going as small as we think is likely, it could be one of the bigs on the outside looking in too.
 
From Basilio's blog this morning

Julian Phillips:

Is the real deal. Hearing same stuff we heard on Chandler at this exact point in the summer. Phillips is an extremely prepared freshman, shoots the ball better than they expected, in great shape. Needs to get stronger but nothing holding him back to keep him off the floor. He's tracking for serious playing time from the jump of camp.


BJ Edwards:

has been a real pleasant surprise in camp thus far. Edwards is drawing some Jordan Bowden comps. A little more comfortable at PG and smaller but that comp has come up multiple times with various sources. Edwards is the definition of a combo guard. The prevailing thought is that BK will be a nice 4 year player. That said he's not ready to play PG though he will play some here in a pinch. I'm told that thus far Zeigler is eating him alive when he has to play PG. In great shape and plays extremely hard defensively. Overall my belief is Tennessee is pleasantly surprised with BJ Edwards. Should turn into a very very solid college guard who may be able to slide over to PG in time.


Tyreke Key:

Boom! Key is all about basketball and is better than Tennessee thought he would be. Key's mental acuity has caught Tennessee off guard. Put this in stone ... Tyreke Key a lock to be a rotation guy. Key can score against Tennessee's better defenders in summer stuff. I hear he really knows how to play the game. Takes the game extremely seriously which is big for Barnes and the veterans around Tennessee's program that feel like they have tremendous potential for next season.

Tobe Awaka:

is absurdly active thus far in his short time in Knoxville. Has no idea what he's doing on either end but rebounds or gets his hand on everything near him. I'm going to report here that those inside the program believe Awaka has the makings to become the best rebounder of the the Rick Barnes era. Probably strictly an energy guy/guy they put in out of principle if they're not rebounding. They think he will be a nice player in time and the rebounding ability is something they haven't had here and apparently really pops. Awaka is going to play.


DJ Jefferson:

is really struggling. Seems destined for the Corey Walker/DJ burns outcome. Hope not but I have to keep it real here.


Jahmai Mashack:

Simply hasn't taken the next step. Seems like he's tracking to be outside looking in for decent rotation minutes. Phillips, Key, Edwards seem to all be ahead of him. Probably gets spot duty due to defense but heading down Davonte Gaines path as of now.


Jonas Aidoo:

Keeps getting better. Has been mostly healthy and Barnes is even letting him shoot the ball from 3 some. They think if he stays healthy he's going to be an all league type guy in time.


Olivier Nkamhoua:

As always getting practice hype. Has to learn to take it to games. Will he? We're rooting for him. He has raw ability but runs hot and cold.


Triple J:

has been limiting his reps to stay healthy. He also spent portion of his summer on a trip to Africa as part of UT's Student Leadership group.


Santi Vescovi:

by far the best player on the team. Has taken it to another level. Was told he looks like a pro out there. He's going to have a monster season it seems.


Uros Plavsic:

What you've seen is what you're going to get from him. Not much has changed since the last time we saw him.


ZZ:

Is the clear cut PG which he's taken to. He's been very good on both ends but there's a huge drop off when he's not on the floor which is a concern. If there was a meaningful game tomorrow he would probably have to play 40 minutes at PG. They are still looking to add someone to help him out.
Loving the news on ZZ Key Phillips and Aidoo. All needed to take a step and seems to have done so. I could def see Santi and Key just sharing PG duties for 10-15 min a game. Maybe Edwards can pitch in 5 min or so by conference play.
 
Loving the news on ZZ Key Phillips and Aidoo. All needed to take a step and seems to have done so. I could def see Santi and Key just sharing PG duties for 10-15 min a game. Maybe Edwards can pitch in 5 min or so by conference play.
I think that is definitely an okay plan to have them back up for that amount of time. The problem is when ZZ tweaks an ankle or picks up an early 2nd foul. When we have to rely on the committee for more than just his scheduled breaks (and I believe that -will- happen at some point) then that is when not having a true back up PG concerns me.
 
I don't think it's a big deal the Edwards is getting eaten alive when ZZ is guarding him. ZZ is an all-conference defender. He pestered some of the best players in the league last year. It'll only make Edwards better.

As for DJ Jefferson, that's unfortunate to hear. Hopefully this is just an adjustment period. Sometimes it takes some guys longer to buy in, Admiral being the biggest example. Arguably Santi took awhile to fully buy in (get in shape, take the game seriously). Hopefully he stays around because I think he can be a really good player for us.
 
I don't think it's a big deal the Edwards is getting eaten alive when ZZ is guarding him. ZZ is an all-conference defender. He pestered some of the best players in the league last year. It'll only make Edwards better.

As for DJ Jefferson, that's unfortunate to hear. Hopefully this is just an adjustment period. Sometimes it takes some guys longer to buy in, Admiral being the biggest example. Arguably Santi took awhile to fully buy in (get in shape, take the game seriously). Hopefully he stays around because I think he can be a really good player for us.
If you remember, what got ZZ noticed as a possible contributor last year, as opposed to potentially redshirting, was the fact that he was giving Kennedy Chandler fits in the fall. He opened the coachs' eyes with the way he defended KC, who was the #1 incoming PG in the country. So definitely no slight to Edwards, as you said, that ZZ is locking him down, too.
 
I don't think it's a big deal the Edwards is getting eaten alive when ZZ is guarding him. ZZ is an all-conference defender. He pestered some of the best players in the league last year. It'll only make Edwards better.

As for DJ Jefferson, that's unfortunate to hear. Hopefully this is just an adjustment period. Sometimes it takes some guys longer to buy in, Admiral being the biggest example. Arguably Santi took awhile to fully buy in (get in shape, take the game seriously). Hopefully he stays around because I think he can be a really good player for us.

It is highly possible Tony B. may be jumping the gun with his assessment about Jefferson.
 
It is highly possible Tony B. may be jumping the gun with his assessment about Jefferson.
I take it that he’s struggling as a positive reflection of our roster. We have a bunch of studs on the team that are just better than him right now
 
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I don't think it's a big deal the Edwards is getting eaten alive when ZZ is guarding him. ZZ is an all-conference defender. He pestered some of the best players in the league last year. It'll only make Edwards better.

As for DJ Jefferson, that's unfortunate to hear. Hopefully this is just an adjustment period. Sometimes it takes some guys longer to buy in, Admiral being the biggest example. Arguably Santi took awhile to fully buy in (get in shape, take the game seriously). Hopefully he stays around because I think he can be a really good player for us.
Such a weak insult of SV who showed up mid season and was immediately the starting point guard at 17 years old having never played the American style of basketball. He has constantly overachieved!
 
Such a weak insult of SV who showed up mid season and was immediately the starting point guard at 17 years old having never played the American style of basketball. He has constantly overachieved!
That's not an insult at SV, given him and Barnes said that last year, but way to keep up
 
That's my biggest concern. The report on Edwards was positive about him as a player, but not as a PG (or so it seemed). But if he isn't the backup at PG, who is?

I guess it's Key?
Santi might run it for a couple minutes a game as well although that’s obviously not ideal either. Hopefully ZZ is an iron man.
 

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