Tennessee basketball season recap: Vols awards for 2019-2020 year

Sixth-man of the year

Jalen Johnson

Guard; Redshirt-junior; 6’6″ 196 pounds

There wasn’t much of an impact by Tennessee basketball’s bench this year. That’s largely because the Vols kept rotating guys due to injuries, seasons coming to an end and unexpected lack of eligibility until January. All of that resulted in us classifying six different players on the team as being actual starters this year.

However, among everybody consistently playing off the bench, the most productive player was Jalen Johnson. Once a member of that heralded recruiting class with Grant Williams, Jordan Bone and Jordan Bowden, Johnson patiently waited his chance to have an impact. He did start two games but was off the bench every other game.

Johnson averaged three and a half points, two rebounds, one assist and just under 15 minutes a game while shooting 32 percent from three and a team-leading 85 percent from the foul line. Johnson was a very unselfish player the whole time. With new talent coming in, though, there’s not much room for him next year, so he is transferring out. But he was productive for UT this year.

6th-man runner-up: Olivier Nkamhoua

Forward; Freshman; 6’8″ 224 pounds

A late commitment out of Bishop Walsh School in Cumberland, Md. who is originally from Helsinki, Finland, Olivier Nkamhoua played 30 games and started none. He averaged nearly three and a half points and exactly three rebounds in just over 11 minutes a game, shooting 55.7 percent from the field. Although not the top freshman, he was productive, and it earned him a shoutout.