Tennessee basketball transfer forward commits to Longwood

According to Jeff Goodman, former Tennessee basketball forward DJ Jefferson has found a new home in Farmville, Virginia, with the Longwood Lancers. He was a four-star recruit out of high school and was perceived as a big recruit in Tennessee's 2022 recruiting class. 

Unfortunately, he couldn't find his footing and earn a permanent role in the rotation this past season. In a similar situation with Freddie Dilione V, Jefferson was behind some veteran players and couldn't break through. 

While Longwood isn't a powerhouse program or a Power 5 name, the Lancers have built a solid program since head coach Griff Aldrich was hired in 2018. Since his arrival, Longwood has won two Big South titles. 

The Lancers have also appeared in the NCAA Tournament twice over the last three seasons. You may remember their trip to the Big Dance in 2022. They were the Vols' first-round opponent, and Tennessee dominated that game, winning 88-56. 

Jefferson is the first player to commit to Longwood in the 2024 recruiting cycle, but might not be the last. As he did last season, Aldrich wants to add a couple more players through the portal to compete in the Big South. 

With the redshirt freshman finding his home for the 2024-25 season, we now know where two of the four Vols that entered the transfer portal will spend next season. Dilione announced on Wednesday where he will play next season, and Jefferson didn't wait much longer after Dilione to make known his intentions to join Longwood. 

The two Tennessee transfers that remain in the portal without a home are forwards Jonas Aidoo and Tobe Awaka, whose transfer announcements brought mixed emotions from the fan base. Aidoo has been given a crystal ball prediction to Baylor by 247Sports, but we haven't heard much from Awaka as he still searches for his future home.