Why Juke Harris was a 'primary target' for Rick Barnes, Tennessee basketball

Why Juke Harris was a 'primary target' for Rick Barnes, Tennessee basketball

Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes brought in Juke Harris for an official visit in October 2022.

Nearly four years later, Barnes finally gets Harris as the crowning piece of the Vols' transfer portal foray since the 2025-26 season ended. The Wake Forest guard announced his commitment to Tennessee on May 4.

"We are thrilled Juke made the decision to join our program at Tennessee," Barnes said in a school release. "Juke is not only an explosive talent, but also a humble young man from a great family. One of the premier scorers nationally, he possesses the ability to put the ball in the basket in numerous ways, from all over the floor. Juke can take over a game and impose his will at any time. He is a versatile player who can handle the ball in transition and has the length to make an impact defensively.

"As someone we were familiar with from his high school recruitment, Juke was a primary target for us as soon as the portal opened and he fits well with the roster we have assembled."

Harris is the Vols' seventh transfer addition and enters as the most talented scorer on an already loaded roster. The 6-foot-7 Harris averaged 21.4 points in his sophomore season at Wake Forest and was sixth in the country in total points scored. He shot 44.4% from the floor and 33.2% from 3-point range in 35 games.

While Harris has two years of eligibility remaining, he briefly considered the 2026 NBA Draft and was invited to the combine. He was a projected early second-round pick in ESPN's latest mock draft and was not included in first round.