CBB Rumors: Tennessee Volunteers In Top 3 for Star Player in Transfer Portal

Rick Barnes and the Tennessee Volunteers have been cleaning up in the transfer portal this month, securing three commitments to bolster their depth next season. While players from smaller schools have primarily been the focus, it appears the Volunteers are an emerging threat to land one of the best players available around the country.

Pete Nakos of On3.com reports that Tennessee has emerged as one of “the three top schools to watch” for guard Juke Harris in the transfer portal. However, it’s worth noting that a decision isn’t expected quickly as the young guard is also evaluating his options of going pro depending on where he’s projected to land in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Related: Tennessee Volunteers Gaining Momentum Toward Big Commitment

A week ago, the majority of reporting suggested that the Michigan Wolverines were in a very strong position to land Harris’ commitment. Since then, aggressive pushes by both the Volunteers and the North Carolina Tar Heels have made it a three-team battle.

Nakos detailed that Harris visited Michigan during its championship program and he left with the program having “confidence” it had a good shot of securing his commitment. Following that, however, in-home visits by Tennessee and North Carolina have positioned them to be neck-and-neck with Michigan to land the star guard.

Related: Tennessee Volunteers to Spend Massive Sum on Basketball

Harris, standing at 6-foot-7, is rated by On3.com and Rivals as the fourth-best player in the 2026 college basketball transfer portal. ESPN‘s Jeff Borzello rated him as the sixth-best player on the market and the second-best shooting guard.

In his final season at Wake Forest, the sophomore guard averaged 21.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He shot 33.2 percent from beyond the arc, averaging 2.5 three-pointers per game, while getting to the free-throw line frequently (7.1 attempts per game) and shooting 78.3 percent from the charity stripe.

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