Tennessee basketball made a major late addition to round out its roster via the transfer portal. On Aug. 5 the Vols announced the addition of former Vanderbilt center Jalen Washington, who was granted a temporary injunction and a fifth year of college eligibility by a Tennessee state court to the program.
The Vols, coming off a third straight loss in the Elite Eight, went on a spending spree this offseason and assembled the No. 2 transfer portal class primarily with guards and wings. Now Washington gives them high-level starting experience in the frontcourt.
"We are ecstatic to have Jalen join Tennessee basketball. He is a first-class young man who embodies the character, humility and work ethic that define our program," coach Rick Barnes said
in a school release Aug. 5. "Jalen is the type of person who elevates everyone around him, on and off the court. He gives another experienced low-post presence whom we can play through on the block. He has proven he can score inside, stretch the floor and make winning plays. Jalen wants to be challenged, develop as a player and compete for a national title. We love Jalen's selfless approach, as he is all about winning and embracing his role."
The NCAA has pushed back against state court rulings in Colorado and Tennessee that granted players like Washington an extra year of eligibility. But for now, the Vols have added a transfer to round out what, at least on paper, looks like one of the strongest rosters in the SEC.
Jalen Washington shoots to top of center rotation
The Vols' newest addition is easily their most talented post player. The former five-star recruit was a top-100 prospect at his position and, though it took a few seasons for him to find his footing, Washington demonstrated some of what his full potential could be in a breakout season with the Commodores in 2025-26.
The Vols will do their best to prepare the 6-foot-10, 236-pound Washington for full-time starting duties but, despite appearing in 129 games over his four-year career, he's averaged fewer than 21 minutes per game each season and still has yet to log at least 30 minutes in a game. So they will need depth behind him.
Imposing sophomore DeWayne Brown II (6-8, 251 pounds), whom Barnes praised for his sound interior defense and progression this summer, will compete with senior transfers, 6-10 Christian Fermin (VCU) and 6-10 Myles Rubin (Loyola-Chicago) for minutes off the bench. Fermin is recovering from a hand injury suffered in mid-July but UT expects he'll be ready for the start of the season.
For a team led by stars in the backcourt, the centers have straightforward duties: defend the rim, rebound, set solid screens and finish plays around the rim.
Open competition on the wings
The Vols have a clear pecking order at center and in the backcourt but at small forward and power forward, there is a mix of veteran experience and young talent. Though a deep and talented backcourt will likely leave only one starting spot on the wing.
Jalen Haralson, who averaged 16.2 points per game as a freshman at Notre Dame last season, is one of the highly touted transfers and looks to be a logical option to start at power forward. In addition to volume scoring, the 6-10 Haralson would give the Vols the positional size they would need to account for a relative lack of size (no one on the roster is taller than 6-10).
But 6-5 Belmont transfer Tyler Lundblad is a career 43.4% 3-point shooter and will be a contender for the starting spot because of that elite skill once he recovers from a back injury which has kept him out of practices for most of the summer.
Braeden Lue, a 6-8 transfer from Kennesaw State, will be primarily a substitute used to aid the defense or rebounding. Freshmen Ralph Scott and Manny Green could win minutes with different skills. Scott is a talented scorer who could afford to add some weight to his 6-8, 195-pound frame, while Green brings athleticism and a defensive upside at 6-7 and 210 pounds, but needs to prove he can hit open shots with regularity.
Chris Washington Jr. (6-9, 200 pounds) was the highest-rated member of Tennessee's 2026 signing class, according to 247Sports, but could find himself buried down the roster as he develops during his freshman season.
Where the minutes leftover by Haralson and Lundblade are allocated will be dependent on game-specific matchups or who has the hot hand.
Star-studded backcourt leads the way
The strength of this team will be the guards after the Vols landed three coveted, versatile ball-handlers from the transfer portal. All three of Dai Dai Ames (Cal), Terrence Hill Jr. (VCU) and Juke Harris (Wake Forest) should be expected to start and play upwards of 30 minutes in every single game.
Sophomore Troy Henderson, one of the two holdovers from last season's team, will be the first option off the bench and freshman Marquis Clark can be called upon if foul trouble or injuries hit. Lundblade also has the skills to handle the ball in spots if need be.
But barring a disaster, the Vols' depth won't be tested very often as the trio of Ames, Hill and Harris will carry major responsibilities as scorers, play-makers and strong rebounders to support a frontcourt that is smaller than that of elite SEC foes.
Stephen Thompson covers Tennessee Volunteers men's basketball. Email him at stephen.thompson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @stephenethom.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Projecting Tennessee basketball's starting lineup after adding Jalen Washington
