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Tennessee basketball: Keon Johnson entering NBA Draft an opportunity for this Vol

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee guard Josiah-Jordan James (5) and Tennessee guard Keon Johnson (45) react to the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Appalachian State Mountaineers on the sidelines during a basketball game at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020.Kns Vols App State Hoops Bp
Tennessee guard Josiah-Jordan James (5) and Tennessee guard Keon Johnson (45) react to the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Appalachian State Mountaineers on the sidelines during a basketball game at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020.Kns Vols App State Hoops Bp /
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To nobody’s surprise, Tennessee basketball lost its second player to the NBA Draft Wednesday. Keon Johnson joins fellow guard Jaden Springer, as they both will leave the Vols after just one year in Rick Barnes’ program.

Johnson and Springer were five-stars in the Vols’ 2020 recruiting class, which helped it reach the top five, and they were always expected to be one and done guys. While Springer was more of the versatile offensive threat, Johnson was more of the combo guard with a focus on defense.

With Johnson’s announcement, Tennessee basketball has lost three of its seven rotational players from last year already in the two freshman guards along with Yves Pons. John Fulkerson could be a fourth. Johnson revealed the news Wednesday on Twitter.

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Despite Johnson’s departure, similar to Springer, the Vols have veterans in their system who have the talent to pick up the slack. Victor Bailey Jr. is the guy who should be able to offset Springer’s departure and shoulder a larger load.

When it comes to Johnson, there’s another former five-star recruit who could shoulder a larger role. Josiah-Jordan James arrived on Rocky Top as a five-star combo guard in 2019. He battled injuries that year and was a defensive specialist this past year. James now has a chance to take on a larger role with Bailey, and the two could make for a very elite backcourt in 2020-2021.

Elite defense, scoring in transition and playing somewhat of a point forward is what Johnson’s focus was last year, as he averaged 11.3 points, one steal, nearly half a block, two and a half assists and three and a half rebounds a game. Well, James averaged one and a half steals, a block, six and a half rebounds and two assists last year.

As a scorer, James was actually more efficient from three, shooting 30.8 percent while Johnson shot 27.1 percent. Although Johnson is more athletic, James has more refined skills. At 6’6″ 207 pounds, he is athletic enough as well, and he and Bailey could feed off of each other at the two and the three.

Of course, five-star Kennedy Chandler is coming in and could run the point. Then there are two shooting specialists, Santiago Vescovi and Auburn Tigers transfer Justin Powell. Add in four-star wing Jahmai Mashack and redshirt freshman Corey Walker Jr., a four-star wing in the 2019 class, and the Vols have what it takes to offset Johnson’s departure.

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If Barnes allows him to start next year as the defensive specialist on the wing, James could emerge as a superstar for Tennessee basketball. He wasn’t a five-star for no reason, and being in Barnes’ system for three years can only help him maximize that potential. With Johnson gone and more experience under his belt, next year is his chance.

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