Things just keep on getting better for Tennessee basketball and veteran head coach Rick Barnes. The young 71-year-old coach recently picked up a commitment from 22-year-old international combo guard Ethan Burg, with his experience set to be a huge help for the Vols next season.
However, it's not just 2025-26 where Burg will be ready to make a difference. Some breaking news has come in via reporter Ben McKee that Burg, who previously played in the Israeli pro league, will have three years of eligibility while he's in Knoxville. It goes without saying, but that's an incredible update for Barnes and his staff:
NEW: Israeli guard Ethan Burg will have three years of eligibility to play college basketball, @GoVols247 has learned.
— Ben McKee (@benmckee14) July 23, 2025
The 22-year-old committed to the Vols last Friday. He played professionally in Israel the last two seasons.
🏀 https://t.co/HJ73qy1A8C pic.twitter.com/AJWU9KwwKj
New Tennessee guard Ethan Burg will have three years of eligibility with the Vols
According to McKee's sources, Burg will be a sophomore this season with Tennessee - and he'll be a sophomore as a 22-year-old talent. Burg took his visit to Knoxville in June, but it was totally up in the air how things would go down with the NCAA in terms of his eligibility.
Not only was he given the green light to sign with Tennessee, but the fact that he'll have up to three years in town is just awesome. He could of course put on a show with Tennessee and leave early to enter the NBA Draft or something, but for now, this is purely great news for the program.
For the past two seasons, the 6-3, 190-pounder suited up for Bnei PenLink Herzliya in Israel, averaging 11 points per game. He's got a sweet shot from the outside, which will no question be a big help for Barnes moving forward.
Burg is also yet another exciting addition for this team this offseason. People can't wait to see what Ja'Kobi Gillespie can get done moving forward, while 5-star signee Nate Ament, the highest-ranked Vol in team history, has people dreaming of him leading UT to the Final Four for the first time. Add in Burg and others to the mix and exciting times indeed are on the way for the hoops squad. Knowing Burg is going to be on campus for the long haul too is pretty dang sweet.