Final Four Preview 4/2: #8 UNC Vs. #2 Duke
Tennessee Basketball and head coach Rick Barnes look to be eyeing one of the transfer portal’s top talents.
According to a report from CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein on Friday, Tennessee is one of the teams that have reached out to former Kansas State guard Nijel Pack.
Rothstein’s report states that Tennessee, Gonzaga, Arizona, Purdue, Xavier, Tennessee, Miami, Ohio State, NC State, and Marquette are the confirmed teams to be showing interest.
Sophomore guard averaged 17 points per game last season on 43% shooting from three-point range.
One of the best players in the portal. https://t.co/2CasWE1ArT
— Ryan Schumpert (@rschump00) April 1, 2022
Transfer Portal: Could Tennessee Pursue A Standout Belmont Transfer?
Pack entered the portal on Thursday after a terrific sophomore campaign in Manhattan with the Wildcats. The guard averaged more than 17 points, three rebounds, and two assists per game last year for Kansas State. Additionally, Pack averaged 45.5 percent from the field this year.
As a pure scorer on the court, Pack does an excellent job of creating space and generating offense. Pack shot the three-ball over 43 percent this year, which was also following a 40 percent season as a freshman. Not just a terrific shooter with the ball, though, Pack can also move well without the ball while slashing across the court.
For the entirety of Kansas State’s season last year, Pack was the Wildcats’ main weapon.
Pack’s season-high in scoring came in a three-point loss against No. 7 Kansas this year, in which he went for a game-high 35 points against the eventual Final Four bound Jayhawks.
Nijel Pack is UNCONSCIOUS 🔥
His EIGHTH three of the game‼️ pic.twitter.com/SzkO9DOFlB
— ESPN (@espn) January 22, 2022
The only knock to Pack’s overall game is that his defense has been described at times in the realm of good, but not great. That’s why Tennessee could be such a great fit for the rising junior guard. Rick Barnes’ ability to transform guards into defensive machines isn’t anything to dismiss, and Pack could be that next lockdown Volunteer defender.
On the offensive side of the ball though, Pack can come in and give Tennessee that consistent scoring that has been missing at times in the last few seasons. Tennessee star guard Kennedy Chandler has been projected as a one-and-done player since entering college, and if he does head to the NBA, that leaves Tennessee with the task of replacing their leading scorer last season.
Enter Nijel Pack.
All in all, it does seem as though Tennessee is showing interest in the guard according to Rothstein’s report. If Nijel Pack does commit to Tennessee, the Vols will be receiving one of the top scorers in the nation and one of the transfer portal’s best players.
