KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee men's basketball is navigating through the transfer portal as players left due to graduation and others because of the transfer portal.
Head coach Rick Barnes seemed to be caught off guard that Jonas Aidoo was one of four Tennessee players to enter the transfer portal. This was his response when he was asked if he was surprised.
"Yeah because he told everyone he was fine," Barnes said in an unusually short response to a question.
Barnes said he would maybe welcome back some players who entered the transfer portal depending on how they decided to do it. While Aidoo doesn't seem to be on that list, forward Tobe Awaka might be.
"We all respect him and love him for what he did for us, but if he feels he needs to go through the process then he has to do it," Barnes said in part.
He said even though it is a possibility, the program will not be waiting on players to decide on whether they are coming back to fill roster spots.
Guard Jahmai Mashack said it's no hard feelings for those who decided to enter the transfer portal. That said the competitive side matters to him too.
"On the court I'm competitive," he said. "I wanted those guys back but if the feeling is not mutual we are going to continue going. We don't want to bring anyone along that doesn't want to be a part of Tennessee basketball."
The team is focused on building on the culture they have built. Barnes said it's not about getting the best players in the portal as much as the right fit. They think they found that with Hofstra transfer Darlinstone Dubar who signed with the Vols on Thursday after committing earlier in the week.
"He is a great guy man," Mashack said. "Talking to him, he really cares about winning."
Dubar averaged 17.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game last season.
Tennessee still has five scholarships to give. Belmont transfer guard Cade Tyson visited during the weekend of the Orange and White spring football game. Charlotte transfer forward Igor Milicic Jr. has the Vols as one of his top schools as well.
Last season, Tyson averaged 16.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. He shot 46.5% on three-pointers as a sophomore. As a junior, Milicic Jr. averaged 12.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.