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Tennessee basketball: Five ways Vols can offset Jaden Springer turning pro

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee's Jaden Springer (11) with a three-point attempt during an NCAA men's basketball game against St. Joseph’s in Knoxville, Tenn. on Monday, December 21, 2020.Kns Vols Stjosephs
Tennessee's Jaden Springer (11) with a three-point attempt during an NCAA men's basketball game against St. Joseph’s in Knoxville, Tenn. on Monday, December 21, 2020.Kns Vols Stjosephs /
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Tennessee guard Jaden Springer (11) and Tennessee forward Corey Walker Jr. (15) celebrate after defeating Kanas 80-61 at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, January 30, 2021.013021 Tenn Kan
Tennessee guard Jaden Springer (11) and Tennessee forward Corey Walker Jr. (15) celebrate after defeating Kanas 80-61 at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, January 30, 2021.013021 Tenn Kan /

4. Corey Walker Jr. or Jahmai Mashack emerges.

There will be two freshman wings on Tennessee basketball’s roster in 2021-2022, one a true freshman and the other a redshirt freshman. Both were four-star recruits coming out of high school and have tons of potential.

Corey Walker Jr. was part of UT’s 2020 class with Jaden Springer and Keon Johnson. Contact tracing and a broken toe limited his development early on, and he took a redshirt for the year. Listed as a forward, Walker is 6’8″ 219 pounds and could play under the basket. However, versatility is his calling card, and Barnes could go for size by moving him to the wing.

Jahmai Mashack, on the other hand, is a four-star across the board in UT’s 2021 class who had different listings based on the service. Standing somewhere between 6’4″ and 6’5″ and weighing between 180 and 190 pounds, he is listed as a small forward on Rivals and 247Sports and a shooting guard on ESPN.

Simply put, Mashack or Walker emerging offensively could be a huge boost for the Vols, and that would go a long way toward offsetting the loss of Springer. They could also add some length to their rotation too, particularly if Walker becomes the star.

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