Tennessee Basketball: An in-depth look at Volunteers 2020-21 roster

Returning key bench/role players

Davonte Gaines – 6’7” Sophomore Small Forward 

In 2019-2020, Gaines appeared in 29 games, averaged 10.4 minutes, 2.5 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. His bright spots last season were against UNCA, FAMU, Jacksonville State, and Arkansas. Against UNCA, Gaines notched 9 points on 4 of 7 shooting (57%), and grabbed 3 rebounds, while playing just 10 minutes.

Against FAMU, he finished with 7 points on 1 of 3 shooting (33.3%), but managed to go 4 for 6 from the charity stripe (66.7%), and pull down 4 rebounds, while playing 20 minutes. Against Jacksonville State, he scored 7 points on 1 of 3 shooting, but went a perfect 4 for 4 from the free throw line, and dished out 3 assists. And finally, against Arkansas (on the road), he had one of his most efficient games of the season, going 3 for 4 from the field (75%), while racking up 7 points, and recording 5 rebounds in 20 minutes. (but did only knock down 1 free throw in 4 attempts)

Gaines’ main problem at the moment, is his uncertainty when he is handling the ball, and the inability to handle aggressive defenders. Many times last season, if Gaines had the ball in his hands for more than three seconds, and began to put it on the floor, he rarely seemed to know what he wanted to do with it.

Instead of making moves towards the basket, and making his defender respect his offensive game, he would take stationary dribbles, which let his defenders know that he wasn’t too interested in attacking them. (which was the same problem that Jalen Johnson, a 6’7 Redshirt Senior Small Forward, who transferred to Wake Forest in the spring, dealt with when he played for the Vols)

This also allowed them to press up on him because they knew that he didn’t have the ability to make them regret that decision. As a result, they often forced him to make timid/shaky crossovers, and quickly lose control of the ball.

On a more positive note, Gaines was able to secure the minutes he did, because of his commitment to playing hard on the defensive end and cutting hard on the offensive end. He also made it a priority to dive for loose balls when he could, defend without fouling most of the time, and snag defensive rebounds from time to time. I definitely think that he benefited last season from playing in Tennessee’s system, where there is a ton of off-ball screening, which gave him a chance to curl screens and score easy baskets at the rim.

Drew Pember – 6’10” Sophomore Power Forward 

Pember appeared in 22 games last season and averaged 5.5 minutes, 1.3 points and 1.0 rebound per game. Against Alabama State, he had his best game of the season, scoring 8 points in just 8 minutes on 1 of 2 shooting (50%), and getting to the free throw line 10 times. (converting 6 of them)

Curious as to why Pember’s playing time was limited? Well, I don’t think I’ll have much of a problem providing you with a satisfying answer. Defensively, Pember was essentially a liability last season, and if a player that isn’t a solid defender, also can’t give you much production on the offensive end, he simply cannot stay in games for long periods of time. His main problem defensively is his inability to stay in front of guards who don’t typically change speeds or direction.

I may have given him a break if those players consistently made multiple crossovers, and made him adjust his footwork, or started off at a slower pace, before making the shift from first gear to second gear, but that wasn’t often the case. When opponents realized that Pember was defending them, they understood that a straight line drive would easily get the job done. And because he is not terribly quick, he had a hard time getting back into plays last season, when he was already a step behind his man.

Additionally, his skinny frame doesn’t make life any easier for him, as if often prohibits from fighting through contact on the perimeter, or in the paint as he is preparing to take off. It is something that has the potential to serve as a major disadvantage for any player at the college level if they are unable to find a way to overcome it.

Olivier Nkamhoua – 6’8” Sophomore Power Forward

Nkamhoua appeared in 30 games last season, and averaged 3.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 11.4 minutes per game, while shooting 55.7% from the field.

He is a player that I believe could impact the Vols tremendously this season if he is able to improve two major areas of his game dramatically. One, he needs to commit to moving his feet in order to stay in front of opponents, instead of instinctively using his hands, to slow them down. It is nearly impossible to be a competent on-ball defender and stay out of foul trouble early in first halves if you don’t even give yourself a chance to get consecutive defensive stops.

Nkamhoua certainly did a better job of limiting his fouls as the season went on, but I can’t ignore the fact that he committed 3 or more fouls eight times, which is difficult to overcome if you aren’t a player that a coach feels like he must rush to put back in. (in order to secure a victory)

Offensively, he is a player that loves to take one power dribble, after catching the ball in the post and go straight up without hesitating. His main problem right now is his lack of explosiveness when he decides to try to put up a shot around the rim. Nkamhoua doesn’t elevate as quickly or as high as needs to, which is why his opponents have more of an advantage when he goes up. However, he is occasionally able to finish in traffic, if he is able to get the ball up on the rim quick enough.

I understand that he is not a legitimate threat from the outside (shot 1 of 5 from three-point range last season) but because he doesn’t at least take the time to look at the rim when he has the ball at the top of the key, or one of the wings, opposing bigs never really have to bother going out there to defend him. (which probably causes people to ask themselves, why is he even out there then?)

Uros Plavsic – 7’0″ Redshirt Sophomore Power Forward/Center 

Plavsic appeared in 16 games last season and averaged 2.6 points and 7.3 minutes per game. He began his career at Arizona State, where he redshirted during the 2018-19 season, and transferred to Tennessee during the offseason. He was unable to play in the first 15 games of the season, because the NCAA was not willing to grant his immediate waiver request, until Jan 14th.

When he was on the floor last season, he wasn’t terribly effective, but he did have some moments that should make Tennessee fans excited for the future. His best performances came against Mississippi State when Plavsic scored 16 points on 6 of 12 shooting (50%) and made 4 out of 6 free throws in 26 minutes, and Arkansas (on the road), when he went 2 for 2 from the field, and 4 for 4 from the free throw line, to score 8 points in 6 minutes.

He undoubtedly has the potential to be a  solid post presence, if he doesn’t move quicker than he needs to, and learns to be more of  a willing passer out of the post, if he can’t get off a clean look. Sometimes, after he spins to his left or right, and is unable to shake his defender, he decides to throw up a well-contested jump hook, instead of kicking the ball out to a guard. When he does calm himself down and tries not to over complicate things, he has proven that he can be fairly productive.