Tennessee Basketball: 2023-24 season preview for the Volunteers
By Joey Loose
Projected Starters
Guard – Zakai Zeigler (Junior)
Last year, Zeigler became Tennessee’s starting point guard in the back half of the season, but his injury in late February really through the Volunteers’ rotation into chaos. He averaged 10.7 points and 5.4 assists in the 30 games he played last season and his healthy return is vital to Tennessee’s success this season. Not only can he score but he’s one of the nation’s best defensive point guards.
Guard – Santiago Vescovi (Senior)
Perhaps the most important returning player at Tennessee, Vescovi is back for a fifth and final season in the Volunteers’ backcourt. He averaged 12.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game last season with a decent shooting clip from all over the court. He earned First Team All-SEC honors for a second straight year and should be Tennessee’s most reliable scorer this season.
Guard – Dalton Knecht (Senior)
Knecht exploded onto the scene last year in his senior year at Northern Colorado, averaging 20.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game for the Bears. While he put up those numbers in the Big Sky, Knecht is a major offensive weapon with one season of eligibility left who was brought into this program to seriously upgrade their offense. He should be a solid scorer; we’ll have to see what he brings defensively in this system.
Guard – Josiah-Jordan James (Senior)
Another player back for a fifth year, James played an important role in the backcourt last season. Though he missed nearly all of December with injury, he played a massive role down the stretch and would put up 10.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game on the year. James is an athletic specimen who can just score from all over the court but might be Tennessee’s most reliable defensive weapon.
Center – Jonas Aidoo (Junior)
With major changes in Tennessee’s frontcourt, Aidoo steps into a much bigger role in his third year with the Volunteers. He did start a few games last season and averaged 5.1 points and 4.9 rebounds across a solid sophomore season. Aidoo has shown the ability to score from outside while also being a force in the paint and that level of adaptability gives him the edge as Tennessee’s most vital big man.