The Tennessee Vols have had a strong offseason overall when you compare their additions to their losses, but it didn’t start out that way. Early on, things looked a bit concerning. Rick Barnes lost six players to the transfer portal, most of whom were expected to contribute this year. With the six losses plus Felix Okapra, Ja'Kobil Gillespie, and Nate Ament, the Vols were going to have to start from scratch next year, but Rick Barnes has been announced back mightily, adding a plethora of top transfers.
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The Tennessee Vols lost freshman guard Clarence Massamba, a player who didn’t play much last year but had a ton of upside. Now he’s heading to UC Davis, dropping down to the mid-major level for a bigger opportunity.
BREAKING: Tennessee transfer guard Clarence Massamba has signed with UC Davis, @PeteNakos reports. https://t.co/MorD1lSVIl pic.twitter.com/XrR4wPYV8e
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) May 1, 2026
Clarence Massamba commits to UC Davis
There's no doubt his is a good landing spot for the 6-foot-5 guard from France. He only averaged 0-.3 points per game as a freshman, so he will need to prove himself at a lower level. We’ve seen this story before, as players leave the Power Four, ball out at a smaller school, and then work their way back up. Don’t be surprised if Clarence Massamba does the same, because there’s a lot to like in his game.
Massamba was a former four-star prospect coming out of high school, and sometimes it takes Euroleague players a bit of time to adjust to Division I basketball. In Massamba's case, he was always known as a very defensive first guy, which might not look great on a box score, but he can defend the ball very well. He was expected to be a perfect scheme fit in th Barnes physical defensive policy. Masasmb has the potential to hit threes, but in such a small showing last year, he never really got a chance to prove it.
There’s still reason to believe in Massamba. He arrived with plenty of talent out of high school and has the ideal size for a ball handler. If everything comes together, he could develop into a dangerous player down the line.
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