When Tennessee started this offseason, I don't think anyone in the fanbase pictured it going the way it did. Tennessee had another Elite Eight under its belt, and yes, while in the NIL era, you expect some departures. I'm not sure anyone would have predicted seven Vols leaving. On the bright side, Tennessee has some good news on the way.
The biggest Transfer Portal need Rick Barnes must address is obvious
After announcing that he was going into the Transfer Portal, freshman point guard Troy Henderson has announced that he is coming back to Knoxville. This is a big get for Tennessee as the young guard flashed a lot of potential last season. In his return letter, Henderson said, "I can't wait to take the floor again in front of the best fans in the country. I'm so excited for all the big things to come here at Tennessee!"
Troy Henderson announces he is indeed returning to Tennessee next season.
— Sam Rothman (@samrothman_) April 8, 2026
“I’ve realized there is no place I’d rather be than right here on Rocky Top.” #Vols pic.twitter.com/MwrB8EeeKu
Troy Henderson return locks up a point guard spot
Tennessee now has Ethan Burg and Troy Henderson returning from last season, both of whom primarily served as backup point guards. The encouraging part is that both showed they can play off the ball, which could open the door for expanded roles this year. That said, it would still make sense for Rick Barnes to go out and add a seasoned, veteran point guard to steady things.
Obviously, it will be very hard to get another first-team All-SEC guy like Ja'Kobi Gillespie, but if they can find a reliable option who can score the ball efficiently and run the offense while keeping things afloat, while Burg and Henderson develop, that would be huge.
Henderson has flashed some real potential during his time in Tennessee. In a game against Texas A&M, he hit a clutch three-pointer and scored eight points with two steals, all while doing it efficiently, shooting 50% from the field. He didn't play much after that, but for a freshman to come up big against a tournament team was huge.
It remains unclear if Barnes will roll with Bug and Hendseron next year, and if they do, there could be some bumps early on, but both players do have the talent to be SEC guards.