Tennessee basketball: E.J. Anosike in transfer portal suggests Vols adding a forward

After one year with Tennessee basketball, senior forward E.J. Anosike appears to be moving on once again. Anosike is entering the transfer portal for the second straight offseason, according to Grant Ramey of GoVols247.

At 6’7″ 245 pounds, Anosike was a graduate transfer senior for UT last year, joining the Vols after three years with the Sacred Heart Pioneers, where he averaged 15 points and just under 10 rebounds a game over the course of two years. However, last year on Rocky Top, he averaged less than two points, two rebounds and 10 minutes in just 22 games.

Still, the younger brother of two-time Lady Vol national champion Nicky Anosike figured to play a larger role this year with the departure of Yves Pons. It seemed as if E.J. Anosike and Olivier Nkamhoua would split time at the four. His decision to transfer must mean that Tennessee basketball is about to add another elite four.

Rick Barnes has been targeting interior talent in the portal ever since the season ended, despite his first addition being Auburn Tigers transfer guard Justin Powell, a three-point specialist. Lots of the interior talent he has seemed to go after is specifically at the four.

Notable among those power forwards is Furman Paladins transfer forward Noah Gurley, who averaged over 15 points and just under six rebounds a game this past year. The 6’8″ 210-pound graduate transfer is set to commit soon and announced on Twitter earlier in the week that the Vols were in his top eight.

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It doesn’t seem to be a coincidence that these two things happened in the same week. Remember, entering the portal does not mean you’re going to land somewhere else, so Anosike could always return. What if he is waiting to see what Gurley does?

Either way, his decision to enter the portal suggest Barnes is serious about adding another big man. That could be why Drew Pember, who landed with the UNC Asheville Bulldogs, decided to enter the portal as well. Guard Davonte Gaines entered the portal, and Powell landed with Tennessee basketball less than a week later.

There’s also the possibility that the emergence of players in the system could be why Anosike is leaving. Don’t forget that 6’8″ forward Corey Walker Jr. is still in the system, and he redshirted this year after being a four-star in the 2020 class. His abilities suggest he’ll be able to play wing or at the four, but the depth in the backcourt may convince Barnes to move him to the four.

Simply put, a plethora of options at the four is likely why Anosike entered the portal, and it also increases the likelihood that a transfer forward is about to land on Rocky Top. The problem for the Vols, though, is still at the five.

We don’t know what John Fulkerson is going to do, and if he leaves, Uros Plavsic is the only true five on the roster. Despite being a seven-footer, Plavsic is likely not ready to be a starter next year. As a result, Tennessee basketball still has to address the issue on that front. However, keep an eye on developments at the four, as Anosike entering the portal suggests something is coming soon.