Tennessee basketball: Jalen Cone could be a big help to depth in 2019

Tennessee basketball provided Jalen Cone with the opportunity to reclassify to the 2019 class. He would be a massive help to the Vols’ backcourt depth.

Four-star 2020 prospect Jalen Cone has the opportunity to reclassify to the 2019 class which could help the Vols immensely. He hasn’t committed to Rick Barnes and the Tennessee basketball program, but the Vols were first to offer the reclassification. Could that help Cone make his decision?

Most experts considered the four-star recruit 100 percent sold on heading to Virginia Tech to play for Buzz Williams. Now, that Williams is in College Station, Cone has options. It certainly brings Texas A&M into play, but you have to think it opened the door for Tennessee and other programs.

The 5-foot-11 point guard has offers from Virginia Tech, Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Hampton, Ole Miss, and Tennessee. Other teams that have shown interest in Cone are Kentucky, Louisville, North Carolina State, and Clemson.

Cone is good enough to make a significant impact for the Vols next season, especially with the potential departure of Jordan Bone. According to 247Sports, Cone ranks 121 nationally and the 23rd best point guard. While he wouldn’t be on Bone’s level in his freshman season, he could provide depth to a position in need.

Losing Bone is surely not ideal. In his junior season, he consistently played up to the level everyone knew he was capable of. Bone almost double his scoring output from a season ago reaching nearly 14 points per game. He also led the SEC in assists at 5.8 per game. While Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield will garnish a lot of the praise, as they should, Bone’s impact on the Vols’ success shouldn’t go unnoticed.

However, Cone is a good enough player to make a substantial impact next season. He’s an elite scorer that can score from all three levels of the court, particularly from the three-point line. He also has exceptional ball-handling skills, and like Bone, he’s fantastic at creating plays. Multiple experts said Cone has elite athleticism and is able to lead his team without scoring the. This bodes well in Tennessee’s offensive system that has guys that can get going in a hurry.

There is still a lot up in the air with Cone’s commitment and even his decision on reclassifying. If he decides to play for the Volunteers, he should have the opportunity to play significant minutes to help Tennessee as an NCAA Tournament team.