Rick Barnes was 'out recruiting' Wednesday to build Tennessee roster, Danny White says

Rick Barnes was “out recruiting” on Wednesday before the Big Orange Caravan stop in Nashville, Tennessee athletics director Danny White said.

“He is trying to get here for the program,” White said on 104.5 The Zone. “He is out recruiting. He is building a roster.”

The Vols have two spots remaining on the roster after adding six transfers. The Vols are actively recruiting former Wake Forest star Juke Harris to take one of those spots, while the other spot is likely allocated for a forward.

A quiet period goes into effect on Friday, which means Tennessee has a limited window in which it can have off-campus contact with any potential transfers. Barnes was at the Big Orange Caravan on Tuesday in Chattanooga.

Harris, On3’s top-ranked transfer, averaged 21.4 points in his second season at Wake Forest. He had an effective field goal percentage of 52.7 while shooting 44.4% from the floor and 33.2% from the 3-point line. He averaged 6.1 points in 19.0 minutes per game as a freshman in 2024-25.

Harris is also going through the NBA Draft process.

Tennessee basketball has six transfers committed

Guards Dai Dai Ames, Terrence Hill Jr. and Tyler Lundblade and forwards Jalen Haralson, Braedan Lue and Miles Rubin as transfers committed to Tennessee. Ames, Lundblade and Rubin all are heading into their senior years. Lue and Hill have two years of eligibility. Haralson has three years of eligibility remaining.

Ames averaged a career-best 16.9 points and shot 37.6% on 3-pointers at Cal. He also hit 85% of his free throws. He had 12 games with at least 20 points and topped 25 points in five of those.

Ames was a third-team All-ACC selection.

Hill averaged 15.0 points, 2.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 25.0 minutes per game during a breakout season at VCU. The 6-foot-3 guard from Portland, Oregon, shot 37.0% on 81 made 3-pointers and 46.6% from the field.

Lundblade, the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year in the 2025-26 season, averaged 15.6 points, shooting 40.6% on 3-pointers in the 2025-26 season at Belmont. He was one of 17 players to make more than 100 3-pointers this season. He made 115 in the 2025-26 season after making 104 the year prior.

Haralson averaged 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists, earning All-ACC honorable mention as a freshman at Notre Dame. He played in 27 games and started 23.

The 6-7, 220-pound Haralson was a four-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American out of La Lumiere (Indiana) in the 2025 class. He was the No. 39 prospect in the nation in the Rivals Industry Ranking.

Lue is averaging 10.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in 68 career games. The 6-8 forward was named to the Conference USA all-defensive team as a sophomore. He blocked 50 shots.

Rubin averaged 11.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks as a junior for the Ramblers before entering the transfer portal. The Chicago native has been a shot-blocking wizard in his career. The 6-10 Lue has blocked 237 shots in 103 games.