Tennessee 4-star commit reveals Ja'Kobi Gillespie sold him on choosing Vols, Rick Barnes originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Tennessee Volunteers men's basketball have been dominating the transfer portal under head coach Rick Barnes. After falling short of the Final Four in three consecutive seasons, Barnes has made it a priority to land some of the top talent available. Tennessee added another major piece Sunday morning with the commitment of Terrence Hill Jr.
“Former VCU guard Terrence Hill Jr. has committed to Tennessee out of the NCAA transfer portal, On3 has learned. He’s regarded as one of the top shooting guards in the current transfer portal cycle,” On3’s Barkley Truax wrote.
Landing Hill Jr. is a significant addition, as he brings elite shooting—something Tennessee lacked in the portal last season. While the Vols are still active, Hill Jr. may already be their top acquisition.
““Hill is an elite 3-point shooter and it’s arguably his greatest strength,” wrote 247Sports’ Michael Swain of the VCU transfer. “He shot 37% from 3 on incredibly high volume. He can both create his own shot from deep and knock down shots off the catch. Roughly 25% of his 3-point attempts were unassisted.”
Tennessee beat out Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball and head coach Bill Self for the highly sought-after transfer. A key factor in Hill Jr.’s decision was Tennessee standout guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie.
“The March Madness game where he was shooting anything he wanted, I was like, 'sh*t, (Rick Barnes) lets his point guard go.' So I like that. And me and my agent were watching it like, 'Tennessee might be a good spot for me,” Hill Jr. said.
There is no doubt Barnes has evolved from his traditional offensive approach since adding Dalton Knecht to the roster. With Hill Jr. now in the mix, Tennessee’s offense looks poised to be dangerous once again.
The Vols are firmly in the conversation for one of the best portal classes in the country. Gillespie’s style of play helped draw Hill Jr. to Knoxville, but Barnes’ willingness to give his players freedom ultimately sealed the deal.