Rick Barnes can expect to send at least a couple more players into the NBA in a few days, with the NBA Draft coming up. Tennessee basketball has four players on ESPN's top 100 NBA Draft big board, and they all hope to hear their names called on draft night.
Chaz Lanier headlines the Vols on the list at No. 38. This matches ESPN's recent mock draft, which has the San Antonio Spurs picking Lanier at pick No. 38. This would make him a second-round draft pick and the ninth Rick Barnes player drafted since he came to Knoxville.
Lanier transferred to Tennessee to replace Dalton Knecht. It was a tall task, but Lanier held his own in the toughest conference in college basketball. He shot 77% from the field and set a single-season program record with 123 made three-pointers.
Igor Milicic Jr. is the second-highest ranked Vol in the top 100 list at No. 70. He, like Lanier, spent only one year on Rocky Top and averaged 9.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists this past season at Tennessee.
Zakai Zeigler is the next Vol on the list. The fan-favorite has been hoping to return for a fifth season but would need a judge to approve his extra year of eligibility. While that has seemingly failed, he still has the opportunity to put together a solid professional basketball career.
Zeigler averaged 13.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 7.4 assists in his senior season, leading to holding down the No. 88 spot in the top 100. His grit and tenacity immediately made him a fan favorite, and he could be an asset to any NBA franchise.
Finally, Jahmai Mashack squeaked in the top 100 at No. 98. He was Tennessee's best defender and played every role Rick Barnes needed him to play over the past two seasons. Mashack and Zeigler led Tennessee's defensive efforts, making the Vols one of the best defensive teams in the country the past two years.
While the Vols have four players in the top 100, there will only be 59 draft picks in this year's NBA Draft, limiting Tennessee's opportunity to draft multiple players.
At least one Vol is expected to be drafted in the 2025 NBA Draft, but we could be surprised to see at least two selected if an NBA franchise wants to take a chance on the other three top-100 Tennessee players on the list.
The 2025 NBA Draft is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, June 25, at 8:00 PM ET at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.