Lady Vols basketball coach Kim Caldwell has only been with her brand-new roster for a couple months, but she has seen enough to call them "one of the closest teams I've ever been a part of" when she met with the media for the first time this summer Aug. 3.
Tennessee lost all eight possible returners to the transfer portal after the season ended, but Caldwell and her staff rebuilt the entire 15-player roster in just under a month. Caldwell was even surprised how close the team is already.
"We got to make sure that we keep it when games start, but they are truly friends. They have each other’s backs. There’s not an ego," Caldwell said. "They all know they play a different role, and they know what they do is important. But they really are friends. They can
hang out with any anyone. And it’s been probably Division II days since I’ve seen a team so close together and hang out all the time."
Here are takeaways from Tennessee's first media availability and open practice going into Caldwell's third season.
Fatmata Janneh, Kaylene Smikle unfazed by Lady Vols' exodus
Sophomore guard Jada Eads, senior forward Fatmata Janneh and redshirt senior Kaylene Smikle also met with the media, and they all appreciated Caldwell's transparency in the recruiting process. Caldwell and the staff took the approach of almost trying to scare players away with how hard they were going to work.
None of the three players were concerned with Tennessee's 16-14 season that resulted in all eight returners entering the transfer portal.
"I came in here with a clear mind," Janneh said. "Obviously a lot happened last year, but I didn't let that sway my decision at all."
"I feel like I really didn't focus on everybody leaving, that didn't really so much of a weigh on me coming here because everybody in college has a different experience," Smikle added.
Tennessee working on driving as opposed to shooting this summer
The previous roster was a stronger driving team and didn't have as many shooters as it needed. Now, the Lady Vols have shooters, but they're working on getting downhill.
Caldwell said it has been a little difficult not having everyone out there fully cleared yet – Eads, Smikle and Aaliyah Moore are all still limited because of injuries – since they're missing some of their better drivers.
"I’m excited to get everyone back so we can see what the balance is. But that’s been a point of emphasis of working on getting downhill and finishing at the rim every single day," Caldwell said. "Really, that’s important in our offense to be able to get to the rim and put pressure on the rim."
Caldwell believes they're in a good spot with what they've installed in the offense, especially since she said they have more in place than last summer. She added they have strong leadership, which was an area the Lady Vols lacked last season.
Lady Vols practice observations
Tennessee opened practice and allowed media to stay for the entirety.
- Junior Naomi White is a solid rebounder for a 5-foot-9 guard. She was a standout as one of the stronger ball handlers and best shot creator on the court.
- Sophomore guard Harissoum Coulibaly will be key when it comes to pushing the pace in transition as one of the better drivers who can get downhill.
- This team may struggle with rebounding. They gave up multiple offensive rebounds on a possession to the practice squad during a live 5-on-5 transition drill.
- Janneh, however, will once again be one of the SEC's best rebounders. She has a great feel for position around the basket and looks primed to be an All-SEC type of player.
- Freshmen Irene Oboavwoduo is a strong defender. The 5-10 guard can keep the ball in front of her and worked relentlessly during a live drill until she forced a turnover.
- Freshman Gabby Minus has great size and length at 6-1 and will be a great addition with her defense. She should be a solid contributor who will fit in with a lot of lineups.
- Smikle, Eads and Aaliyah Moore did not participate in live drills with a lot of contact. Eads and Moore looked really solid during live defensive drills, and Smikle made six 3-pointers in a row from behind the sideline while shooting on her own.
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Takeaways from first open practice for Kim Caldwell's new Lady Vols basketball roster
