All for Tennessee
Fansided

Tennessee basketball: Ranking all 15 offseason roster changes by impact in 2021

By Caleb Calhoun

Jan 23, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes speaks with Tennessee Volunteers guard Yves Pons (35) and forward John Fulkerson (10) during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 23, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes speaks with Tennessee Volunteers guard Yves Pons (35) and forward John Fulkerson (10) during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
8 of 15
Next
Dec 15, 2020; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Corey Walker Jr. (15) drives against Appalachian State Mountaineers guard Michael Almonacy (5) during a game at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brianna Paciorka/Knoxville News Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORKT
Dec 15, 2020; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Corey Walker Jr. (15) drives against Appalachian State Mountaineers guard Michael Almonacy (5) during a game at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brianna Paciorka/Knoxville News Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORKT /

8. Corey Walker Jr. enters transfer portal

Of all the transfers Tennessee basketball suffered this past year, Corey Walker Jr.’s hit the hardest. Walker was a four-star in the Vols’ 2020 recruiting class alongside five-stars Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer, but the 6’8″ 219-pound wing was the perfect type of player for Barnes system, as he could play the two through the four.

Walker redshirted this past year with the Vols, but the assumption was that he’d immediately fill whatever void the Vols had at the three or the four going into next year. Given the departures, most of which were expected, those voids were going to be clear.

As a guy who could fill the void in the frontcourt, Walker’s transfer was already going to hit harder than many of the others. However, his versatility that allowed him to also play on the wing made his transfer an even bigger impact, even though he didn’t log any minutes with UT last season.

Walker was the Vols’ final entry into the portal, leaving on April 9, but he was also their most concerning loss among the transfers. The good news for Rocky Top is it was about to begin offsetting these transfers with some major additions on the recruiting trail and one key announcement. We’re about to address one of those now.

Home/Vols Basketball