The 2022 Arden, N.C. four-star power forward has the Tennessee basketball Volunteers in his top 10.
As Tennessee football was making all the headlines with its eighth straight win Saturday, Tennessee basketball received encouraging news on the recruiting trail. Rick Barnes has the Vols trending for people in 2022 now.
Rocky Top made the top 10 for Western North Carolina power forward De’Ante Green. A four-star across all recruiting services out of Christ School in Arden, N.C., Green stands at 6’9″ 205 pounds and is already considered a top 100 prospect nationally.
In addition to Tennessee basketball, Green had the Baylor Bears, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Bulldogs, Gonzaga Bulldogs, Kansas Jayhawks, Louisville Cardinals, N.C. State Wolfpack, North Carolina Tar Heels and Wake Forest Demon Deacons on his list. He announced his schools with a video on Twitter.
Top 🔟... pic.twitter.com/PsCzBZhuRT
— De'Ante Green (@DeAnteGreen35) October 3, 2020
Given the way Rick Barnes has been recruiting top-notch talent, it’s not surprising he’d have the Vols trending for a solid prospect in 2022. However, what’s overlooked is how crucial this is. Barnes’ focus on the trail has mostly been with guards.
All of UT’s key post players this year, John Fulkerson, Yves Pons and even E.J. Anosike, are set to leave after this year. There needs to be more talent to complement Olivier Nkamhoua, Drew Pember, Uros Plavsic and Corey Walker Jr. for the future. As a result, trending with a guy like Green is a big deal.
After a top five recruiting class for 2020, the Vols are currently still working on building up their 2021 class with commitments from five-star guard Kennedy Chandler and four-star forward Jahmai Mashack. Although he’s a forward, Mashack is 6’5″ 180 pounds and plays wing, so he can’t help in the post. The Vols don’t have anybody committed for 2022 just yet.
Currently, there are no Rivals Future Cast or 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions for Green. N.C. State is the majority favorite on the Rivals Fan Future Cast, but that’s unscientific. Given Barnes’ connections to the area, having grown up less than 90 miles away and attended college less than 15 miles away, Tennessee basketball should definitely be in play.