Tennessee basketball target Cade Phillips is announcing his college commitment on May 26 at 1 p.m. ET, the four-star announced on his Twitter Tuesday.
The Alabama power forward just finished his junior year of high school at Jacksonville High School and still has one more prep season before enrolling at the college of his choice ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Phillips never released a “top” list but has taken visits to Georgia Tech, Alabama, Memphis, Georgia (twice) and Tennessee (twice).
The 6-foot-9 power forward visited Tennessee twice in a number of weeks, taking in Volunteer wins over ETSU and Arizona at Thompson-Boling Arena.
“They’re definitely prioritizing me which means I’m prioritizing them,” Phillips told RockyTopInsider following his December visit. “They’re in that top group it seems. I’m shooting on relationships, especially with coaches and players and players with their coaches. I noticed that last time. They’ve continued to try and build a relationship. That’s something that’s huge with me and that’s going to keep them on the top as long as they keep doing it.”
Phillips is a four-star and the No. 67 player in the class of 2023 and the top player in the state of Alabama according to the 247sports composite rankings.
A strong athlete that can guard on the perimeter, Phillips plays with an intensity around the rim that makes him effective around the rim and a strong fit in Knoxville.
Phillips has strong ties to the University of Alabama, with his father and uncle playing football and his mother player basketball for the Crimson Tide. Still, the south Alabama native insisted he didn’t grow up as a massive Crimson Tide fan.
“My parents have always told me to be true to myself and who God made me to be,” Phillips said. “Whatever decision is best for me will be the decision I make. There’s no home field that I’m looking for or really valuing at the moment. Being closer to home, there’s none of that for me, it’s really about how I feel like I’d fit in best.”
The Vols added their first commit in the 2023 class Tuesday morning when Tobe Awaka committed to Tennessee following his weekend visit. The possibility for the New York native to reclassify into the 2022 class is still on the table.
