While the transfer portal continues to dominate headlines, Rick Barnes just landed a major commitment in 2026 from 6-foot-9 forward Chris Washington Jr. The former Alabama commit has now gone public with his pledge to the Vols. This is a big-time addition for Rick Barnes as Washington, a Murfreesboro product, is one of the top players in the 2026 class. 247Sports has him ranked as the No. 49 player in the country. He also took official visits to Cincinnati, Villanova, and Ole Miss.
Tennessee’s portal success continues, but Rick Barnes still has two major roster needs
Digging deeper, Washington is now the highest-ranked player in Tennessee’s 2026 class, narrowly edging out IMG Academy wing Ralph Scott. Not only does Tennessee have a strong transfer portal haul with Dai Dai Ames, Jalen Haralson, Miles Rubin, and Tyler Lundblade, but they also have a top-ten high school recruiting class as well. The future of Tennessee basketball looks very bright. Fans should be excited about what Rick Barnes is building in Knoxville.
BREAKING: 2026 four-star forward Chris Washington Jr. has committed to Tennessee 🍊
— FOX Sports Knoxville (@FOXSportsKnox) April 16, 2026
Washington Jr., the No. 1 player in the state of Tennessee, chose the #Vols over Auburn, Ole Miss, USC, and Villanova.
The six-foot-nine, 195-pound wing is a former Alabama commit and is from… pic.twitter.com/HbRCTsbdvR
Christopher Washington Jr. fits right into Tennessee's system
Washington is a combo forward who can play both the three and the four for Tennessee. The most exciting thing about him is that he may have the best physical profile in his high school class. While still pretty thin at 195 pounds, he is an elite athlete who plays above the rim, throwing down dunks and attacking the glass for rebounds. With his length, he projects as a strong defender as well. This is exactly the mold of a Rick Barnes forward: rebounding, defense, athleticism, as he’s a complete package for the Vols.
Looking at the bigger picture, Washington should contribute off the bench for the Vols next year, but he’s still fairly raw. He doesn’t yet have a polished offensive game, and as mentioned above, he’s still on the thin side. Adding strength and developing a more refined offensive skill set will be the key focus for him this summer.
However, in the long term, this is a great get for Tennessee, as Washington projects to be a potential all-conference player if he can piece it all together.
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