East Tennessee State Basketball: Forbes grabs two key grad transfers for 2020-21

East Tennessee State Basketball recently added two key grad transfers for the 2020-21 season. What kind of players is Steve Forbes getting?

Coach Forbes has done something special for East Tennessee State Basketball. There are many mid-major squads who can only hope to add a transfer over the course of the offseason. However, over the course of the past week, Forbes has secured two solid grad transfers for next season.

The first came when Silas Adheke announced he would be coming over to Johnson City. Adheke bounced around a few schools before playing his last couple of seasons at Northern Kentucky. Standing at a solid 6′ 8″, 245 lbs, Adheke started the majority of 2019-20 season for the Norse, giving NKU a reliable option in the paint.

Adheke’s playing time varied greatly as he played anywhere from just a couple minutes certain games while others playing up to near 30 minutes. In all, Adheke averaged 3.6 points and 4.7 rebounds while averaging just over 13 minutes a game. He also finished as NKU’s 2nd leading offensive rebounder and led the team in blocked shots.

How does Adheke help the Buccaneers for 2020-2021? In my review of ETSU’s season, I mentioned the uncertainty upfront with the graduation of several key frontcourt players. So Adheke should certainly help shore up the gap as a reliable rebounder and capable post defender.

Although there could be more additions or changes to the roster, I see Adheke coming in and receiving anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes a game from Coach Forbes. He may not be quite as capable a scorer as Jeromy Rodriguez, but I do think Adheke has some of the same physical traits and can be a similar menace on the glass for ETSU.

The tangible excitement of the Buccs adding Adheke swelled enormously when shortly after another grad transfer, Jalen Johnson, announced he’s heading to ETSU. A solid contributor during his junior season at Tennessee, Johnson averaged 18.3 minutes per game in SEC play for the Vols.

The 6′ 6″ wing has great versatility on both ends, blending an ability to knock down outside shots with a quick lefty release and solid length to guard several positions on the defensive side. Like Adheke, Johnson’s minutes varied greatly based on game flow. Johnson’s best overall performance came at Mississippi State where he scored 13 points while knocking down 3 of 6 triples and grabbing 4 steals and 5 assists.

Honestly, Johnson’s move looks like a slam dunk move for both sides. Rick Barnes is bringing in two highly regarded freshman guards so it’s difficult to know if his role really would’ve increased much at Tennessee. But, Forbes should have little difficulty finding a significant role for the exact kind of player he loves – an athletic, versatile guard who does a little bit of everything.

If Johnson develops to be more efficient from three point range in 2020-21, there’s reason to believe he could be one of the more dynamic scorers in the SOCON next season. It may be a lot to expect, but Johnson has enough talent to be that kind of guy at ETSU.

All of a sudden, East Tennessee State is starting to look more and more likely to be the favorite to repeat as Southern Conference champs. Bo Hodges, Daivien Williamson, and Patrick Good will all be back, and now Adheke and Johnson join Ledarrius Brewer as key transfers for Forbes in 2020-21.