Christian Fermin commits to Tennessee basketball as VCU transfer forward

Christian Fermin has committed to Tennessee basketball as a transfer from VCU, a source with direct knowledge of the situation told Volquest on Thursday.

The 6-foot-10, 225-pound Fermin played in just four games last season after taking a leave of absence from the Rams. It was reported in March that Fermin was away from the team while dealing with a personal matter. 

Fermin visited Tennessee on Wednesday and left Thursday.

He fills the final opening on Tennessee’s roster and is the eighth transfer.

Fermin played in 86 games over the previous three seasons at VCU, averaging a career-best 5.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 21.4 minutes per game during the 2023-24 season, starting all 38 games for the Rams.

Tennessee signed VCU guard Terrence Hill Jr. in April, after Hill averaged 15.0 points, 2.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 25.0 minutes per game last season. He came off the bench in 34 of 36 games and shot 46.6% from the floor and 37.0% from the 3-point line. 

Tennessee has rebuilt 2026-27 roster in the NCAA Transfer Portal

Rick Barnes has overhauled Tennessee’s 2026-27 roster through the NCAA Transfer Portal over the last month.

Tennessee added guards in Hill, Juke Harris (Wake Forest), Dai Dai Ames (Cal) and Tyler Lundblade (Belmont) and forwards Miles Rubin (Loyola Chicago), Braedan Lue (Kennesaw State) and Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame).

The Vols lost four seniors (Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Felix Okpara, Amaree Abram and Grant Hurst) from last season while six players left through the NCAA Transfer Portal (J.P. Estrella, Jaylen Carey, Cade Phillips, Bishop Boswell, Amari Evans and Clarence Massamba). Sophomore guard Ethan Burg also decided to return home to Israel. 

All six former Vols have either committed to or signed with new schools. Estrella is going to Michigan, Carey is going to Missouri and Phillips is going to Texas A&M. Boswell signed with Maryland, Evans landed at Texas and Massamba is going to UC Davis.

Vols has signed four prep players in 2026 class

Tennessee has signed four high school prospects in its 2026 recruiting class. Four-star small forward Chris Washington Jr. was the latest, joining four-star small forward Ralph Scott, three-star guard Manny Green and three-star point guard Marquis Clark.

Washington committed and signed with the Vols on April 16 while Scott, Green and Clark all signed during the fall.

Washington the No. 33 overall player in the class, according to the Rivals rankings, and is the No. 18 small forward. He’s the No. 1 player in the state of Tennessee, out of Providence Christian Academy in Murfreesboro.

Scott is the No. 63 overall player and the No. 24 small forward. Green in the Rivals Industry Ranking is No. 138 overall, No. 35 at shooting guard and No. 7 in Georgia. Clark is No. 220 overall, No. 39 at point guard and No. 3 in Illinois.