Anosike, Walker, Pons on way out
If an overhaul in college basketball is defined by having to replace more than half of a roster’s scholarship players, put Tennessee in that category.
The Volunteers, who have already lost Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer to the NBA draft pool and Davonte Gaines and Drew Pember to the NCAA transfer portal, had two more players enter the portal Friday: freshman forward Corey Walker and senior forward E.J. Anosike. Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said in January that Anosike, the 6-foot-7, 245-pound graduate transfer from Sacred Heart University, had decided to use the extra season allotted by the NCAA due to the outbreak
of the coronavirus.
“I don’t think there’s any question he will,” Barnes said at the time. “I think it’s going to be good for him.”
Anosike played in 22 of Tennessee’s 27 games this past season, averaging 1.7 points per contest. He racked up 42 rebounds, with 22 coming on the offensive end.
The 6-8, 219-pound Walker is from Hastings, Florida, and arrived in Knoxville as the nation’s No. 81 prospect in the 2020 signing class, according to the 247Sports.com composite rankings. He never played this past season, with coronavirus-related setbacks and a toe injury factoring into that.
Barnes said after an 18-9 season ended with an NCAA tournament first-round loss to Oregon State that the Vols needed more of an inside presence moving forward, but that presence will not include Anosike, Walker or the 6-10 Pember, who recently announced UNC Asheville as his transfer destination. Gaines revealed Friday that he will be transferring
to George Mason, where he will reunite with new Patriots coach and recent Vols assistant Kim English.
Tennessee’s most reliable and athletic forward this past season, Yves Pons, confirmed Friday that he would not use the extra year and would instead try the professional ranks.
“Thank you, Vol Nation,” Pons posted on Twitter. “I’ll always cherish my four great years at Tennessee, and I’m proud to be a Vol For Life.”
Anosike, Pons and John Fulkerson were Tennessee’s three seniors this past season, with Fulkerson having yet to announce his 2021-22 plans.
Tennessee has landed former Auburn guard Justin Powell through the transfer portal and has signed point guard Kennedy Chandler and small forward Jahmai Mashack. The Vols also have a commitment from shooting guard Quentin Diboundje.