Tennessee basketball announced the signing of transfer wing Dalton Knecht Thursday completing a three-day stretch that saw the Vols announce the signings of all three of their transfer commits.
The Vols improved their roster this spring by adding three players from the portal for what ranks as the nation’s No. 10 transfer portal class according to 247sports team transfer rankings. Adding Knecht, Jordan Gainey and Chris Ledlum combined with the return of All-SEC shooting guard Santiago Vescovi has Tennessee flying up way-too-early season rankings.
See everything you need to know about the trio of transfers including what ninth-year coach Rick Barnes said about them when Tennessee announced their signings.
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Jordan Gainey
Former school: USC-Upstate
Position: Shooting guard
Measurable’s: 6-foot-4, 175 pounds
2022-23 stats: 15.2 PPG, 39%/35%/78% shooting, 2.5 RBG, 2.3 APG
247sports ranking: Not ranked
What Barnes said about him: “We obviously know and love Jordan’s family, but his ability as a player stands on its own merit. He plays with a high basketball IQ and is a guy who makes his teammates better. We love his offensive versatility and his ability to shoot and score the ball in a variety of ways. In addition to giving us another shot-maker, he also competes on the defensive end and led (the Big South) in steals last year.”
Chris Ledlum
Former school: Harvard
Position: Small forward/Power forward
Measurable’s: 6-foot-6, 225 pounds
2022-23 stats: 18.8 PPG, 47%/29%/63% shooting, 8.5 RPG, 1.6 APG
247sports ranking: Four-star. No. 53 overall transfer, No. 10 small forward
What Barnes said about him: “Chris has many of the characteristics we value in our program. He has a tremendous work ethic and plays with grit, toughness and a bit of swagger. We’ve seen similar traits in other Vols from New York, and we expect Chris to build on that history.
“He comes from a wonderful family and had a tremendous career at Harvard playing for a great coach in Tommy Amaker, so he’s coming in with a strong foundation. He’ll give us an inside-outside scoring presence. And his versatility—scoring, rebounding and playmaking—extends our ability to create mismatches.”
Dalton Knecht
Former school: Northern Colorado
Position: Small forward
Measurable’s: 6-foot-6, 200 pounds
2022-23 stats: 20.2 PPG, 48%/38%/77% shooting, 7.2 RPG, 1.8 APG
247sports ranking: Four-star. No. 12 overall transfer, No. 1 small forward
What Barnes said about him: “Dalton is just a terrific story of a guy whose hard work has enabled him to steadily improve his game. He’s grown nearly a foot since he started playing high school ball. And as he’s grown, he’s expanded his skill set as well. He’s a proven scorer and was one of the top offensive producers in the portal, so he immediately gives our team a boost in offensive firepower.
“Beyond being a high-level shooter, his ability to put the ball on the floor and attack downhill with athleticism really drew our attention. He’s another guy who comes from a great family, and we’re excited to welcome them into our Volunteer family.”
