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NCAA Basketball: Updated early top-25 rankings for 2021-22 after NBA Draft deadline

By Tristan Freeman

Mar 20, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Ochai Agbaji (30) dunks the ball against the Eastern Washington Eagles during the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Ochai Agbaji (30) dunks the ball against the Eastern Washington Eagles during the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tennessee guard Josiah-Jordan James NCAA Basketball NBA Draft Kns Vols Hoops Auburn Bp Jpg
Tennessee guard Josiah-Jordan James NCAA Basketball NBA Draft Kns Vols Hoops Auburn Bp Jpg /

534. . . . Volunteers . 15. team

The Vols draft decisions were pretty much simple this offseason. Freshman guards and former five-star prospects Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer looked every bit of lottery picks so they left without any questions or suspense. The only other player there may have been a question about was Josiah-Jordan James, who led the team in rebounding this past season.

Yet the rising junior guard came back, along with forward John Fulkerson electing to take the 5th year. The frontcourt was a major weakness last season but with Fulkerson’s experience and the duo arrival of five-star power forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield and top-50 center Jonas Aidoo, that shouldn’t be a big issue this time around.

And to replace Johnson and Springer as the lead guards will be five-star freshman point guard Kennedy Chandler, along with Auburn transfer Justin Powell, who was a stat-stuffer in the early part of last season before dealing with injuries. Victor Bailey Jr. quietly was a double-digit scorer last season and will be back, along with sharpshooter Santiago Vescovi.

The guard play should remain top-level for Tennessee but we’ll have to see whether or not Huntley-Hatfield is a freshman star or a solid role player. That could end up being the difference between being in the top-4 of the SEC or even winning the regular-season title.

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