Tennessee basketball reportedly in danger of losing top portal player to Michigan after latest news originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Tennessee Volunteers and head coach Rick Barnes are looking to significantly improve their roster for the upcoming season. They have already landed some of the top names in the transfer portal, and a major reason for that is the increase in NIL funding provided by the university.
“Tennessee basketball is on track to be among the elite in NIL spending next season. On3’s Pete Nakos on Thursday reported the Vols are one of a handful of teams set to spend $10 million or more in NIL for its roster next season,” VolQuest’s Grant Ramey wrote.
Tennessee is still pursuing its top portal target, Juke Harris, who would be the biggest addition of Barnes’ portal era. The Vols are going all-in this cycle, and Harris to Tennessee appears to be a strong fit.
“He knows Tennessee better than he knows either one of the other schools, because he explored Tennessee coming out of high school. North Carolina, obviously, has a new coach. So I think he’s most comfortable, or knows the most about Tennessee. That doesn’t mean they get him, so we’ll see what happens,” said VolQuest’s Brent Hubbs Tuesday on WNML’s SportsTalk.
However, landing one of the top players in the portal will not come easy. Michigan Wolverines and head coach Dusty May remain firmly in the mix for Harris.
“They (Michigan) are very much in the hunt for Juke Harris,” 247 Sports’ Travis Branham said. “That one is evolving pretty quickly. As of this morning, it's now sounding like his decision will likely come down to Michigan and Tennessee. Both have had him on visits at this point, and that’s going to be a fight to the finish.”
Tennessee may have a slight edge at the moment, but Michigan’s continued push keeps the situation competitive. Harris is also taking his time with the process as he evaluates his options, including the NBA Draft.
The longer the recruitment stretches out, the more opportunities Michigan has to make its case. Barnes and his staff are prioritizing Harris and will continue to do everything possible to bring him to Rocky Top.