The deadline for college players to declare for the NBA Draft was earlier this week and there’s a handful of Vols on the list. Both Julian Phillips and Josiah-Jordan James were on the list — as Rick Barnes stated last week — but so was Tennessee center Uros Plavsic.
The redshirt senior has one year of college eligibility remaining due to the COVID-19 eligibility relief and could return to Tennessee or transfer to another school for his final season if he decides. Plavsic has not entered the transfer portal and the college basketball spring transfer portal window closes on May 11.
Plavsic started on-and-off for the Vols a season ago, averaging 4.9 points and 3.4 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game. The center had strong touch around the rim, scoring in double digits in four SEC losses and 19 points in the Vols’ home loss against Kentucky.
However, Plavsic led the SEC in technical fouls over the season with head coach Rick Barnes saying he was tired of Plavsic’s antics following a loss at Arizona.
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While Plavsic could technically return to Tennessee for one final season it seems unlikely due to the Vols’ scholarship numbers.
Tennessee added a trio of players from the transfer portal — Jordan Gainey, Chris Ledlum and Dalton Knecht — to go along with the trio of players they added from the prep ranks— JP Estrella, Cameron Carr and Cade Phillips.
Those six additions to Tennessee’s roster give the Vols 14 players on scholarship, one over the limit, even if James, Phillips and Plavsic all move on. That seemingly makes it unlikely any of the three players who declared for the NBA Draft will return to Tennessee but particularly Plavsic who was the least productive of the three players.
The deadline for college players who entered the draft while maintaining their eligibility to withdraw from the draft and return to college is June 12.
