Joe Burrow on Super Bowl LVI preparation
Freshman phenom Kennedy Chandler came to Tennessee as the top-ranked point guard in the 2021 class. And make no mistake about it, Chandler has been impressive throughout this season going against SEC competition at just 19-years-old.
Through the first 21 games of the Tennessee basketball season, Chandler is the Vols’ second-leader scorer, averaging just over 13 points per game. Chandler is just behind Vols’ guard Santiago Vescovi, who is leading Tennessee at exactly 14 points per game.
It isn’t just his scoring though that has made Chandler so dynamic. The starting freshman guard is also leading Tennessee in steals (2.3) and assists (4.8) per contest. However, one of the troubling areas to Chandler’s game has been in the turnover department. Currently, Chandler is leading the Vols in turnovers per game, but he is being asked to do a lot as the leading point guard.
While still boasting an impressive season, Chandler’s suspected lone year in collegiate ball has not been as “superstar-defining” as one may have expected it to be. And that isn’t a knock on Chandler as a player by any stretch.
In December of 2021, Chandler was slotted just outside of the lottery in an early NBA Mock Draft from Yahoo Sports. The Tennessee guard was projected to be taken by the Dallas Mavericks with the 15th pick in the first round. Now, just a couple of months later, Chandler has fallen a few spots depending on where you look.
Yahoo Sports’ Mock Draft 4.0 – Updated on Jan. 24
- Yahoo Sports’ mock draft is currently projecting Tennessee guard Kennedy Chandler to be taken in the first round with the 21st pick by the Philadelphia 76ers.
- Former Tennessee guard Jaden Springer was selected by the 76ers with the No. 28 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
- The 76ers also have former Tennessee forward Tobias Harris, a 10+ year NBA veteran, on the roster.
- Chandler is the 4th-highest projected SEC player.
ESPN’s Mock Draft – Updated on Jan. 26
- ESPN’s mock draft is currently projecting Chandler to be taken in the first round with the 25th pick by the Milwaukee Bucks.
- Chandler is the 5th-highest projected SEC player.
Bleacher Report’s Mock Draft – Updated on Feb. 2
- Bleacher Report’s mock draft is currently projecting Chandler to be taken in the second round with the 36th overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets.
- Chandler is the 7th-highest projected SEC player.
If Chandler is drafted before the 19th pick in the first round, he will be the highest-drafted Volunteer player since Marcus Haislip was drafted at No. 13 in 2002. Tennessee forward Tobias Harris is the highest-drafted Vol in the last 11 years, going at No. 19 in the 2011 draft.
The 2022 NBA Draft will take place this June.
