Tennessee basketball: Top five transfer portal players for Vols to target

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Mar 18, 2022; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Chattanooga Mocs guard Malachi Smith (13) shoot over Illinois Fighting Illini center Kofi Cockburn (21) in the first half during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

6’4″ 205 pounds

Going back to the guards, if Tennessee basketball is going to add a three-point specialist, why not look right up the road? Malachi Smith, who transferred to the Chattanooga Mocs from the Wright State Raiders, still has a year of eligibility left, and he can use that as another primary scorer for Rick Barnes on Rocky Top.

As a graduate of Belleville West High School in St. Clair County, Ill., Smith’s ties to the East St. Louis area could help the Vols with offensive lineman Javontez Spraggins on the team. However, it also means that they have to fight off the Illinois Fighting Illini, and that could be tough.

Anyway, last year, Smith averaged 19.9 points a game with a true shooting percentage of .597. He averaged over one and a half three-pointers a game and shot 40.7 percent from beyond the arc. In every season of his college career, has shot over 80 percent from the free throw line.

Simply put, Smith would be a huge pickup for the Vols. If Santiago Vescovi does leave for the NBA, he could step right in as a starter. Otherwise, he could be a sixth-man off the bench who provides an immediate scoring punch. It’s also possible he still starts if Josiah-Jordan James leaves or Barnes converts James to a four, so watch out for what this guy does.

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