GoVols247’s Wes Rucker (from Fort Rucker Studio) and Grant Ramey (from GoVols247’s Blount County Satellite Office in Maryville) convened via the magic of Al Gore’s Internets to discuss Jalen Johnson’s decision to enter the transfer portal and what that means for Rick Barnes and his Vols moving forward.
The 6-foot-7, left-handed Johnson was the highest ranked signee in Tennessee’s 2016 class, but injuries dampened the start of his career, and things never really took off for him in Knoxville. The injury to Lamonte Turner opened a door for Johnson to play a large role this season, but he averaged just 3.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 15.7 minutes per game. Tennessee will have another pair of five-star guards (Jaden Springer and Keon Johnson) in the fold next season, and Oregon transfer Victor Bailey Jr. will be eligible after sitting out last season, so it’s tough to see Johnson getting as much playing time for the Vols as a fifth-year senior.
When seen through that lens, Johnson’s transfer makes sense for both sides involved.
Johnson’s teammates have sworn for several seasons that he’s been one the program’s most talented players, and he’s always been a hard worker and great teammate, never making a fuss behind the scenes despite not getting as much playing time as he wanted. Those traits have endeared him to everyone in the program, and there’s genuine belief from those in the program that Johnson could be a really good player somewhere.
The flip side of Johnson’s transfer is obvious: Tennessee suddenly has an open scholarship for the 2020-21 season, and the Vols now have a chance to go find a player — preferably a big man — who can improve what already looks like one of the nation’s most talented rosters. There will be serious interest in that spot. But what kind of big man should Tennessee be targeting. There’s a brief discussion on that toward the end of this episode.
As with all breaking news pods, this was a one-segment episode, but there was a lot to discuss in that short time.
The next GoVols247 Podcast episode will be released Tuesday, unless major breaking news occurs before that point.
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