Matt Johnson
The Tennessee Volunteers are overhauling their men’s basketball roster this offseason after Rick Barnes took the program to the Elite Eight for the third consecutive year. While the school is eyeing several additions in the college basketball transfer portal, there is one big name on its radar.
According to Pete Nakos of On3.com, Tennessee is reportedly one of the programs in the mix to land standout Wake Forest guard Juke Harris in the transfer portal.
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Harris earned second-team All-ACC honors this past season and was named the ACC Most Improved Player as a 19-year-old. Standing at 6-foot-7, the sophomore guard set career highs in starts (35), three-pointers made (87), and steals (44), and he more than tripled his scoring from his freshman year.
- Juke Harris stats (ESPN): 21.4 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.9 APG, 44.4% FG, 33.2% 3PT
He was really the lone standout for a program that finished the season 18–17. His play reached another level in the second half of the season, averaging 2.8 three-pointers made per game (34.1% 3PT) while averaging 23 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game in his final 20 contests at Wake Forest.
Harris, who turns 20 years old this summer, is rated by On3 and Rivals.com as the top player in the college basketball transfer portal. ESPN’s Jeff Borzello rated the young guard as the fourth-best player available, third amongst guards.
Related: Tennessee Volunteers In Mix for Standout Wing in CBB Transfer Portal
There will, however, be significant competition for Tennessee to land him. The NC State Wolfpack, North Carolina Tar Heels, and Texas Tech Red Raiders are among the other prominent programs involved. As of now, per Nakos, Michigan is the favorite for Harris.
The Volunteers might make a valiant effort to sign Harris but fall short, especially since they already secured a commitment from Belmont shooting guard Tyler Lundblade. Barnes is making it a priority to bring in more scoring via the transfer portal, with Lundblade bringing perimeter scoring that Tennessee lacked this past season.
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