Tennessee basketball transfer forward given crystal ball for Baylor

Jonas Aidoo entered the NCAA Transfer Portal and put his name in the NBA Draft on April 11. Since then, he has spoken to multiple schools about bringing his talents to their program. There is the possibility that the Tennessee basketball forward will return to Rocky Top, but it seems like Baylor is the favorite to land him after a 247Sports Crystal Ball. 

Aidoo had a breakout Junior season this past year and became Tennessee's dominant force in the paint. He was the Vols' big man, a game-changer in many games, and a big reason the Vols were able to win the SEC Championship. 

He averaged 11.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting 51.5% from the field. His production fell off a bit down the stretch of the NCAA Tournament, but that doesn't take away from the player he was for Tennessee this year. It's why he earned First-Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team this past season. 

Currently, three teams are working hard to earn Aidoo's commitment. Two of the three teams are rivals of the Vols and border the Volunteer State, including an SEC rival. Aidoo also entered his name into the NBA Draft and will field interest at the professional level. 

North Carolina was one of the first teams to start recruiting Aidoo, a native of Durham, North Carolina. Aidoo was close to being a Tar Heel out of college but chose Tennessee instead. Returning home seems like the easy answer, but in the world of NIL, anything is possible. 

The new coaching staff at Kentucky has also contacted Aidoo. The Wildcats have lost many players from high school decommits and current players entering the portal after John Calipari left for Arkansas. Kentucky's new head coach, Mark Pope, is looking to make an immediate splash in the transfer portal by dipping into the SEC for portal talent. 

While North Carolina and Kentucky could be options for the former Tennessee forward, Baylor seems to have the upper hand on both programs. Aidoo visited Baylor on Saturday, his first official visit to any school since entering the portal. 

Baylor is an interesting landing spot for Aidoo and probably surprising for many Tennessee fans. The Bears finished the 2023-24 season with a 24-11 record, finishing third in the Big 12 behind Houston and Iowa State. They also made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before being eliminated by Clemson. 

With Aidoo's addition, the Bears will also add their fourth forward to the 2024 class. Baylor head coach Scott Drew is clearly looking to add more size to next year's roster through traditional and transfer portal recruiting. 

Baylor added Yanis Ndjonga as a JUCO transfer, but he's currently the only upperclassman on the roster who is forward. Aidoo would be a big addition to the Bears and be an immediate starter and mentor for the handful of young big men on the roster. 

The Bears have also signed VJ Edgecombe out of high school. The five-star guard is the highest-rated basketball recruit in program history and will likely be an immediate impact player for Baylor. While Aidoo has already visited Baylor, we will have to see if he decides to commit to the Bears or continue courting other teams.