Tennessee basketball in Dick Vitale’s top 10

ESPN’s Dickie V is high on the Tennessee basketball Volunteers.

With the exception of Joe Lunardi, most analysts have dramatically increased their expectations for Tennessee basketball ever since Yves Pons made his decision to return for his senior season. Arguably the most high-profile college basketball analyst appears to have jumped on the bandwagon now as well.

Dick Vitale of ESPN had the Vols at No. 10 in his college basketball preseason top 40 for 2020-2021 on Wednesday. That was the highest of any SEC teams, the closest ones to UT being the Kentucky Wildcats and No. 13, the Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 17 and the LSU Tigers at No. 19.

At No. 1 in Vitale’s ranking are the Gonzaga Bulldogs, a team still on Tennessee basketball’s schedule. The Wisconsin Badgers, whom the Vols were supposed to face in November before the NCAA’s schedule alteration put the game in limbo, came in at No. 5. Here’s what Vitale said about Rocky Top.

"Rick Barnes has a veteran factor with John Fulkerson returning up front. He is one of the best players in the SEC. Yves Pons averaged double-figure scoring last season, and he withdrew from the NBA draft; I expected even more from him this season. Transfers will be a factor for the Vols. E.J. Anosike, a transfer from Sacred Heart, was one of the nation’s top rebounders. Oregon transfer Victor Bailey is ready to perform. Josiah Jordan-James appears ready to break through. Tennessee and Kentucky will battle for supremacy in the SEC."

Notice how Vitale touted returning talent and transfers for the Vols in his quotes. That’s relevant because what really stands out for this team is how Rick Barnes secured a top five recruiting class in five-star guards Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer along with four-star forward Corey Walker Jr., all of will have to fight to start this year.

This has been a consistent theme here. Despite all the hype behind the new recruits, all the players Vitale mentioned could be starting. We know Pons, the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year, and John Fulkerson, last year’s leading scorer, will make up the front court.

However, Vitale also mentioned E.J. Anosike, and given the fact that he averaged a double-double last year, the graduate transfer could start in the post along with Fulkerson if Barnes decides to go big. He’d move Pons to the three.

At that point, Tennessee basketball’s back court would consist of Josiah-Jordan James, whom Vitale brought up and will be a sophomore this year after signing as a five-star recruit, Santiago Vescovi, who returns as the starting point guard, and Victor Bailey Jr., another Vitale mention who transferred from the Oregon Ducks last year. Simply put, there’s a lot of talent everywhere.