NCAA Basketball: Top 25 team backcourts for 2021-22 season

The Vols featured an incredibly deep team last season but were unable to maintain consistency in conference play for it to pay dividends. A string of alternating wins late in the year stalled an impressive first half to the year and led to a disappointing 1st round exit from the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Rick Barnes squad was a major physical and defensive hurdle for teams to navigate, including NBA 1st round picks Jaden Springer and Keon Johnson coming off the bench at various times throughout the season.

Despite their departures from the top of the rotation, as well as Yves Pons, Tennessee’s situation heading into 2021 isn’t all that bad. The team retains a talented backcourt group led by veterans Victor Bailey, Santiago Vescovi, and Josiah-Jordan James. Bailey was the lone double-digit scorer from a season ago, but Vescovi and James were not far off from that mark even with the aforementioned talent taking offensive opportunities away from his production. Each will look to take a step forward and command more of the offensive load this season.

Tennessee was also able to add former Auburn guard Justin Powell. Despite the small sample size as a freshman, Powell displayed balanced production for the Tigers in 2020. The lights weren’t too bright for him either averaging 11.7 PPG and shooting almost 45% from the perimeter. It’s uncertain if Powell will crack the starting lineup for the Vols, but he could very well become a valued piece in the rotation spelling multiple positions and utilizing his athleticism to impact on both ends of the floor.

Coach Barnes also continued his streak of signing 5-star guards with floor general Kennedy Chandler. Recently playing for Team USA at the FIBA U19 World Cup, Chandler displayed his poised playing style and projection as an instant contributor for Tennessee this season. He took care of the ball and consistently shot the ball well throughout the tournament.

4-star wing Jahmai Mashack joins Chandler in this year’s recruiting class and will hope to crack the rotation this season. Mashack is facing a deep rotation ahead of him, but his effort in games is where he could make headway for the Vols.

This year’s group is similarly positioned to dominate the defensive side of the ball in a powerful SEC conference. Tennessee’s expectations to fight for the conference title are unchanged and will heavily rely on this group of skilled guards to lead them there. On the national scene, Tennessee still has a good chance to find their way deep in the NCAA Tournament field as long as they avoid issues of consistency that hurt the team in 2020.