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Tennessee basketball: Ranking Vols by toughest to replace for 2022-23

By Caleb Calhoun

Jan 31, 2018; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes speaks with forward John Fulkerson (10) during the second half against the LSU Tigers at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee won 84 to 61. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2018; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes speaks with forward John Fulkerson (10) during the second half against the LSU Tigers at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee won 84 to 61. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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With the NBA Draft in the books, all the talk surrounding Tennessee basketball is the talent Rick Barnes added for 2022-2023, proving that he just reloads. However, it’s not like the Vols didn’t lose some key talent from this past year’s team that won the SEC Tournament Championship and reached the NCAA Tournament Round of 32.

Six Vols transferred to other schools, another graduated, and just one left early for the pros. Many of these players were starters throughout last year, in some cases the whole season, so despite the new talent coming in, it won’t be easy overnight to replace what was lost.

Barnes does have some veteran talent, which is where he is at his strongest, but he lost a key veteran too. To be fair, the key contributors he lost were younger then usual, so his team will be more experienced. However, replacing some of these guys will be tough for Tennessee basketball. Here’s a ranking of how difficult each one will be.

Rick Barnes’ Tennessee basketball Volunteers lost eight players from 2021-2022.

Tennessee Head Coach Rick Barnes speaks with Tennessee guard Quentin Diboundje (3) during a game between Tennessee and Lenoir-Rhyne at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021.Kns Vols Hoops Exhibition
Tennessee Head Coach Rick Barnes speaks with Tennessee guard Quentin Diboundje (3) during a game between Tennessee and Lenoir-Rhyne at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021.Kns Vols Hoops Exhibition /

Transfer portal. player. 534. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Guard. Quentin Diboundje. 8

Transferred to East Carolina Pirates

A three-star who committed to the Vols out of France, Quinten Diboundje was added as a future sharpshooting specialist. At 6’5″ 217 pounds, he’s the perfect type of player for Rick Barnes to develop over a four-year career, so when it comes to being a future prospect, he actually is a pretty big loss for the program in general.

However, for this year, his departure is minimal. Diboundje played just 35 minutes all season, appearing in seven games, and he scored a grand total of 12 points. Now, there would be a concern depending on who the Vols lost this year about his departure.

With Santiago Vescovi and Josiah-Jordan James back, though, Tennessee basketball is in pretty good shape at the two and the three. Add in a five-star commitment in Julian Phillips and the addition of Indiana State Sycamores transfer Tyreke Key, and it’s safe to say losing a guy who barely played on the wing won’t hurt the Vols next year.

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