Top 10 Tennessee Vols Basketball Players During the Adidas Era
Jan 11, 2014; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head before the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
He also led Tennessee back to the tournament in 2001 by averaging 13 points and five rebounds as one bright spot on an inconsistent squad. Although he would not make it back to the tournament, for men’s basketball history, going twice is enough when it comes to team accomplishments.
Add in his individual accomplishments, and it is clear why Slay is so high on this list. He became the leader of the team under Peterson, trying his best to compensate for awful coaching, but with his injury the Vols stumbled to 15-16 in 2002.
But slay came back in 2003 to a team that was much worse, having lost Vincent Yarbrough and Marcus Haislip from the year before. Still, he did everything he could to get the Vols on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament that year, being the emotional leader and carrying them to big wins over Georgia Tech on the road, Georgia at home, a Florida.
Slay’s play earned him SEC Player of the year and All-American honors as he averaged 21.2 points and seven rebounds that year, getting the Vols to a 17-10 regular season record.
Yes, they missed the tournament in the end, but it was not Slay’s fault. He dealt with mediocre talent and awful coaching, and his accomplishments overall are unmatched by almost any men’s basketball player in the Adidas era. There is only one player who stands above him.
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Ron Slay
Forward, 1999-2003
Like C.J. Watson, Ron Slay earned himself a mulligan because he had to play under Buzz Peterson for two years, and in one of those years he had a season-ending injury that in reality is the only reason the Vols did not make the NCAA Tournament. Still, as a 6’8″ power forward who had handles and could shoot outside, Slay was an emotional leader and star for the Vols from his first day on campus.
He was a starter on the 1999-2000 team, his first year in the program, and averaged nearly 10 points already as the Vols made their way to the first Sweet Sixteen in school history in what was the best season overall in school history to that point. Don’t think for a second Slay wasn’t a part of that.
He also led Tennessee back to the tournament in 2001 by averaging 13 points and five rebounds as one bright spot on an inconsistent squad. Although he would not make it back to the tournament, for men’s basketball history, going twice is enough when it comes to team accomplishments.
Add in his individual accomplishments, and it is clear why Slay is so high on this list. He became the leader of the team under Peterson, trying his best to compensate for awful coaching, but with his injury the Vols stumbled to 15-16 in 2002.
But slay came back in 2003 to a team that was much worse, having lost Vincent Yarbrough and Marcus Haislip from the year before. Still, he did everything he could to get the Vols on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament that year, being the emotional leader and carrying them to big wins over Georgia Tech on the road, Georgia at home, a Florida.
Slay’s play earned him SEC Player of the year and All-American honors as he averaged 21.2 points and seven rebounds that year, getting the Vols to a 17-10 regular season record.
Yes, they missed the tournament in the end, but it was not Slay’s fault. He dealt with mediocre talent and awful coaching, and his accomplishments overall are unmatched by almost any men’s basketball player in the Adidas era. There is only one player who stands above him.
Next: #1: Chris Lofton