Reports: Darius Thompson and A.J. Davis Request Release

Will Hubbs be the next player for the Vols to abandon ship? PHOTO: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Just mere hours after Tennessee received the uplifting news that they received another signee for the depleted 2014 basketball recruiting class, the Vols suffered yet another blow to their aspirations for a successful 2014-15 season.

Rising sophomores Darius Thompson and A.J. Davis have both requested to be released from their scholarships, according to multiple reports.

Earlier reports had also claimed that former 5-star guard and rising sophomore Robert Hubbs had requested a release as well, but the news now stands that he has not yet asked for a release.

Both Thompson and Davis were expected to play significant roles for the Vols in the upcoming season, and Thompson at least was expected to start.

Thompson, a 6-5 point guard, averaged 2.6 points, 2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game in 16.8 minutes per game this past season. Davis, a 6-9 forward, averaged 1.3 points and 1.6 rebounds in 9.4 minutes.

Hubbs and his father are allegedly supposed to discuss his future once he gets home from finals, so an announcement from him could be imminent.

What does this mean for the Vols? It means the depth gained by the two signees head coach Donnie Tyndall and hist staff were able to add the past few days, forward Jabari McGhee and guard Kevin Punter, are essentially negated by the loss of these two. If Thompson and Davis are granted their releases, the Vols will once again be up to 6 available scholarships for the 2014-15 season.

More importantly, the Vols will be without a true point guard (or even a combo guard) at the moment and will need to scramble to sign one if they want to have one for the upcoming season.

As usual, it’s turning out to be an eventful offseason for the Vols. We will bring you updates as they happen.

Statistics via ESPN.com