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Tennessee basketball’s five biggest preseason storylines for 2021-2022

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee’s Olivier Nkamhoua (13) participates in a drill during a Tennessee men’s basketball practice in Pratt Pavilion, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021.Basketball0929 0237
Tennessee’s Olivier Nkamhoua (13) participates in a drill during a Tennessee men’s basketball practice in Pratt Pavilion, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021.Basketball0929 0237 /
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Tennessee guard Josiah-Jordan James (5) during Tennessee’s basketball game against Chattanooga at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., on Monday, November 25, 2019.Kns Vols Hoops Chattanooga Bp Jpg
Tennessee guard Josiah-Jordan James (5) during Tennessee’s basketball game against Chattanooga at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., on Monday, November 25, 2019.Kns Vols Hoops Chattanooga Bp Jpg /

3. Can the defense offset loss of Yves Pons and Keon Johnson?

There’s a reason Keon Johnson was a one-and-done guy and Yves Pons was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year two seasons ago. These two guys made the perfect combination. For all of Tennessee basketball’s issues last year, Pons and Johnson made the offense fun to watch in transition thanks to the big plays they made on that side of the ball.

Pons averaged just under two blocks a game. He also upped his rebounding to over five a game. Johnson, meanwhile, averaged just over one steal a game, but his aggression did much more defensively than just that. He was super-athletic, altering lots of plays and creating fast-breaks.

With both of those guys gone, Josiah-Jordan James, once a five-star himself, is expected to step up and be a huge defensive specialist on the wing. His experience puts him in line to be a breakout superstar this year, and when fully healthy, he may be the best defensive player.

However, the Vols need more help with their post defense. John Fulkerson is not versatile enough. That means Olivier Nkamhoua, Brandon Huntley-Hatfield or Jonas Aidoo will have to become the new versatile post defender. Can those guys combined with James find a way to offset the losses of Pons and Johnson? If they can, Rick Barnes will be in much better shape to start the year.

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