Four-star power forward Cade Phillips committed to Tennessee during a ceremony at his high school Thursday afternoon.
The junior forward won’t arrive in Knoxville for another year, but marks a major recruiting coup for Rick Barnes and his staff in the class of 2023.
Phillips committed to Tennessee over Georgia, Georgia Tech, Alabama and Clemson— all schools he’s visited. The Vols have long been at the forefront of Phillips recruitment and were one of two schools to earn multiple visits from the four-star.
“Coach Barnes loves his players,” Phillips told RTI following his November visit. “Like really, really loves his players. It’s impressive to see that relationship they all have together and with him. It’s pretty cool. You don’t usually see that at the college level.”
Phillips ranks as the 78th best player in the country and the top player in the state of Alabama according to the 247sports composite rankings. Not only is Phillips from the “Yellow Hammer State” but the Jacksonville native’s father and uncle played football and his mother played basketball for the Crimson Tide.
The 6-foot-9, 200-pound power forward has a strong insight out game, with the athleticism to guard on the wing and the size, strength and ability to play in tight space to be a strong interior scoring.
“I feel like I’m a very versatile player,” Phillips said. “I can guard one through five and be really athletic and long. I also feel like my playmaking is a very good skill set. Passing the ball, moving the ball around and really trying to be an on the court coach.”
Phillips joins Tobe Awaka as the second member of Vols’ 2023 recruiting class, though Awaka could reclassify into the 2022 class and enroll at Tennessee this fall.
