Rick Barnes got his first recruit since taking over at Tennessee, adding Lamonte Turner, a 3-star point guard out of Alabama. PHOTO: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
New Tennessee head basketball coach Rick Barnes finally snagged his first recruit Tuesday afternoon after taking over for the Vols in March, and he won’t be the last.
Lamonte’ Turner, a high 3-star point guard out of Harvest, Alabama, chose the Vols Tuesday afternoon over offers from Alabama, Florida, Auburn, and others. He is the No. 134 overall player in the country according to 247Spors.
Thank God for this opportunity and also my parents and coaches for believing in me. I AM OFFICIALLY COMMITTING TO THE U of TENNESSEE! #VFL 🍊
— LAMONTE’ TURNER (@LTurn1) April 28, 2015
Turner is a 6-foot-2 point guard who recently reclassified from the 2016 class to the 2015 class. There were rumors abound that because of his reclassification, Alabama would no longer be able to add him, making the Vols the frontrunners to land him.
Last season, the Vols had to switch Josh Richardson to point guard because they had no other healthy options at the position. With Richardson graduating, the Vols are left without a true scholarship point guard for the 2015-16 season.
Turner should provide immediate help for the Vols in Barnes’s first season. He joins Shembari Phillips and Admiral Schofield in Tennessee’s 2015 class. The Vols are still in on a number of recruits in the 2015 class, so don’t expect this to be the last commitment in the coming weeks.