Tennessee has already lost three players to the transfer portal, including JP Estrella and Clarence Massamba, both of whom entered today. Rick Barnes has his work cut out for him, and it looks like things might get a little worse before they get better.
3 Transfer Portal targets Tennessee must be aggressive in landing
Tennessee guard Bishop Boswell is reportedly planning to enter the portal. This is a major blow to the Vols for next season. Boswell had a great sophomore season, averaging 6.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists, being a do-it-all type of player. Boswell was aslo tasked with guarding the opposition's best guard, where he thrived on defense, averaging 1.2 steals a game.
To make matters worse, Boswell was a culture guy who embodied everything Barnes preaches about his players. He's a hard worker with an endless motor. His effort on defense was never unnoticed, and his ability to give the Vols a spark when he made a hustle play was always recognizable. This one breaks the hearts of many Vols fans.
Bishop Bowell’s official portal announcement https://t.co/w69YgvqNG1 pic.twitter.com/IvJYbF3lRk
— Tri-Star Network (@TriStarNetwork) April 6, 2026
Tennesse can replace Bishop Boswell but it wont be easy
To build on that, I'm not sure if adding Tyler Lundblade kept Boswell from staying, but ultimately, there isn't any way to spin this other than it's painful.
Replacing a player like Boswell is a tough task to do. He has that special type of motor that you can't find super often. The former four-star recruit will be highly regarded in the portal by many programs that are competing for titles. This is one where I'd like to see Barnes pay what's needed to keep Boswell, but maybe Barnes has something different up his sleeve.
The biggest takeaway here is that Tennessee will likely lose nearly its entire starting lineup from the 2025–26 season. Nate Ament could still return, and with such a stacked NBA Draft class, he’d likely make about the same amount of money whether he stayed in Knoxville or went pro. It wouldn't be crazy to see him back in Knoxville for another year.
Tennessee fans will be rooting hard for Boswell wherever he ends up this offseason.