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Tennessee Basketball: Two Former Vols in Second Round of NBA Playoffs

By Caleb Calhoun

May 1, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat guard Josh Richardson (0) drives past Charlotte Hornets guard Courtney Lee (1) to the basket during the second half in game seven of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won 106-73. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
May 1, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat guard Josh Richardson (0) drives past Charlotte Hornets guard Courtney Lee (1) to the basket during the second half in game seven of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won 106-73. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Two former Tennessee basketball players, Volunteers Jordan McRae and Josh Richardson, are on teams that have advanced to Round Two of the NBA Playoffs.

Former Tennessee Vols basketball player Tobias Harris saw the most action of all former Vols in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. But he’s the only former Vol who was in the playoffs but will not advance.

The forward averaged 14.5 points and nine and a half rebounds in a valiant effort with the Detroit Pistons as they were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

And speaking of the Cavs, another former Vol has advanced to the second round of the playoffs with them, guard Jordan McRae.

McRae only saw one minute of the postseason series against the Pistons, but in that one minute he scored five points, hitting two of two field goals, including one three-pointer.

Although he has seen limited action, he did score 36 points in the final regular season game against the Pistons with a bunch of players playing garbage minutes, and he might have shown just enough to see more action against the Atlanta Hawks, a home series the Cavs begin Monday evening at 7 p.m.

But the player with the best chance to make headlines is Miami Heatrookie Josh Richardson. Spending the regular season as Dwyane Wade’s backup guard, Richardson emerged as an awesome rookie and Wade’s heri apparent down the stretch of the regular season.

He was injured in the Heat’s 4-3 series victory against the Charlotte Hornets and only managed three points in Game Seven, but he did score 15 points in Game Two and has the potential to make a huge impact in his team’s second round series.

That Tennessee had three players in the NBA Playoffs is really impressive considering the history of the program. With two advancing and showing potential, Vols fans might have an exciting reason to continue watching.

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