Matt Johnson
The Tennessee Volunteers have been one of the most active programs in the men’s college basketball transfer portal this offseason, going all-in on Rick Barnes after three consecutive Elite Eight trips. The effort could be rewarded soon with another massive addition.
Pete Nakos of On3.com reported that “there is growing confidence” in Knoxville that Tennessee will be able to close things out with star guard Juke Harris and pull him away from the Michigan Wolverines and North Carolina Tar Heels.
Related: Tennessee Leading for Top G in Transfer Portal
Earlier in the recruiting cycle, Harris seemed destined to join Michigan. He reportedly visited Ann Arbor as the program celebrated its men’s basketball national championship, and a commitment seemed inevitable. Since then, things have changed considerably.
Tennessee and North Carolina had in-home visits with Harris and suddenly made it a three-program battle for one of the top players in the college basketball transfer portal. While the opportunity to play closer to home may prove appealing, it has also been reported that Tennessee was originally a finalist for him coming out of high school. Further strengthening the Volunteers’ chances, as noted by Nakos, head coach Rick Barnes has a good relationship with Harris’ former coach, Steve Forbes, at Wake Forest.
Related: Tennessee Volunteers to Spend Massive Sum on Basketball
Of course, landing one of the most coveted players in the transfer portal comes at a cost. Nakos reports that the expectation is Harris lands a deal “north of $3 million” for the 2026-27 season. That is a price the Volunteers are “ready to pay” even with the additions they’ve already made.
If he commits, with a decision potentially more than a week out, Harris would be the starting shooting guard for Tennessee next season with fellow transfer Tyler Lundblade coming off the bench behind him. The Volunteers have also added guard Dai Dai Ames in the transfer portal and remain in active pursuit of a point guard to replace Ja’Kobi Gillespie.
Related: Insider Sheds Light on Tennessee’s Approach to Transfer Portal
