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Tennessee basketball: Team awards for 2021-2022 season

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee guard Josiah-Jordan James (30) gives Tennessee guard Santiago Vescovi (25) a piggyback ride after a basketball game between Tennessee and Auburn at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. Tennessee defeated Auburn 67-62.Volsauburn0226 1912
Tennessee guard Josiah-Jordan James (30) gives Tennessee guard Santiago Vescovi (25) a piggyback ride after a basketball game between Tennessee and Auburn at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. Tennessee defeated Auburn 67-62.Volsauburn0226 1912 /
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Mar 17, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Josiah-Jordan James (30) gives a thumbs up after defeating the Longwood Lancers during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Josiah-Jordan James (30) gives a thumbs up after defeating the Longwood Lancers during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Defensive Player of the Year: Josiah-Jordan James

You could honestly make a case for Josiah-Jordan James as most improved player as well. The former five-star guard battled injuries his first two years with Tennessee basketball and then began this year banged up. However, once he got back into the lineup, he easily became the teams best defensive player.

James averaged over one block and nearly one and a half steals a game. At 6’6″ 207 pounds, he was the only player on the team to average at least one of each per game. Meanwhile, he led the team in defensive rebounding, averaging more than four and a half a game.

When Olivier Nkamhoua went down, Rick Barnes turned to James to play the stretch four, and he still dominated in transition and with perimeter defense. That combined with his ability to get red-hot shooting the three is why he averaged over 10 points a game, and if he comes back for his senior year, he could be a superstar next year.

Runner-up: Kennedy Chandler

It came down to Nkamhoua, who averaged over one block a game, and Kennedy Chandler, who averaged over two steals a game, for this spot. Chandler got the nod for playing the whole season and his ability to turn great defense into great offense.

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