The transfer portal is in full swing as seasons come to an end throughout the tournament season. That means Rick Barnes and Tennessee basketball are preparing for its Sweet 16 matchup against Kentucky and rebuilding its roster for the 2025-26 season.
One player Barnes and company have already targeted is New Mexico guard Donovan Dent, who currently ranks as the No. 1 transfer in the portal.
Dent averaged 20.4 points, 6.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game this season as the Lobos' leader. He could also fit the mold of a Barnes basketball player and can likely take the hard coaching he would receive on Rocky Top as he played for Richard Pitino, son of Rick Pitino, at New Mexico.
Dent is also coming off a season where he claimed first-team Mountain West and the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year. The 6-foot-2 Junior guard racked up multiple other accomplishments, including being part of the All-MWC Tournament Team and making the Naismith Trophy Midseason Watchlist.
League Ready and Sam Kayser have reported that Tennessee is one of many schools that have contacted Dent to recruit him out of the portal.
The Vols join a host of bluebloods interested in Dent. Kentucky, Louisville, UCLA, North Carolina, Gonzaga, USC, and Texas Tech have also made contact.
If Tennessee is able to sign Dent out of the portal, he would be another immediate impact player for the Vols, such as Chaz Lanier, Felix Okpara, and Dalton Knecht.
The Vols' success out of the portal could draw some interest from top transfers. It looks like Lanier will join Knecht as a one-year Vol and go on to be drafted in this year's NBA Draft.
That could play a factor in recruiting Dent or other top portal players, as the portal recently opened, and dozens of other impact players could also enter it, impacting Tennessee's portal recruiting strategy during this cycle.
For now, the Vols are making final preparations for their Sweet 16 matchup against SEC rival Kentucky. The Vols and Wildcats are set to tip off on Thursday night at 7:39 PM ET from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.