Tennessee Basketball has been ranked No. 21 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 for the 2025-26 season, released shortly after Florida’s national championship win over Houston. The Gators were crowned champs and took the No. 1 spot, followed by Houston, Purdue, Louisville, and UConn. The SEC was well represented, with Kentucky (No. 6), Arkansas (No. 7), Alabama (No. 11), Auburn (No. 12), Florida (No. 19), and Texas (No. 24) joining Tennessee.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello, Tennessee is making aggressive moves in the transfer portal to reload after significant roster turnover. Key departures include Zakai Zeigler, Chaz Lanier, Jahmai Mashack, Igor Milicic Jr., Jordan Gainey, and Darlinstone Dubar. In response, head coach Rick Barnes has landed two key transfers: point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie from Maryland and big man Jaylen Carey from Vanderbilt.
Gillespie, a major target for the Vols, committed last week and officially signed soon after. The former Belmont and Maryland guard averaged 14.7 points, 4.8 assists, and shot 40.7% from three for the Terrapins last season. Carey, originally from James Madison before transferring to Vanderbilt, averaged 8.0 points and 5.7 rebounds this past season and brings valuable SEC experience to Knoxville.
Tennessee’s current roster is expected to return forwards Cade Phillips, JP Estrella, and Felix Okpara, along with guard Bishop Boswell. The Vols also have two promising signees in their 2025 class: four-star guard Amari Evans and four-star center Dewayne Brown. Virginia point guard Troy Henderson is also committed.
With multiple open scholarships remaining, Barnes and his staff still have room to add talent via the transfer portal. The Vols are looking to maintain momentum after an Elite Eight appearance and a 30-win season, despite losing several core contributors.
The offseason activity signals Tennessee’s intent to stay competitive in a stacked SEC and make another deep NCAA Tournament run. Whether the current additions and returning pieces are enough for a title push remains to be seen, but the early ranking shows continued national respect for the program.
