Former Tennessee basketball forward Olivier Nkamhoua has withdrawn from the NBA Draft, per a report from NBA Draft analyst Jonathan Givony.
Nkamhoua will remain in the transfer portal and look to land with another team ahead of his fifth collegiate season.
Potential landing spots for Nkamhoua include Kansas State, Michigan, Baylor, Memphis, West Virginia and others, according to Givony.
Nkamhoua has played the last four years at the University of Tennessee and consistently started in his final two. In his senior season this past year, Nkamhoua averaged 10.8 points and five rebounds per game.
Although the Finland native was mostly inconsistent throughout the season, he had some remarkably clutch performances for the Vols.
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One of Nkamhoua’s biggest games in his Tennessee career came in the Vols’ Round of 32 victory over Duke. Nkamhoua exploded for 27 points while adding five rebounds in Tennessee’s dominant 65-52 win over the Blue Devils.
Nkamhoua’s other huge game came in Tennessee’s January 28 win over Texas in Thompson-Boling Arena, when the senior led the Vols with 27 points and eight rebounds.
The 6-foot-9 forward entered the portal on March 30 and the NBA draft process around the same time. In doing so, Nkamhoua tested the NBA Draft waters while also maintaining his collegiate eligibility. Josiah-Jordan James, Uros Plavsic and Julian Phillips all did the same.
On Wednesday, Julian Phillips reportedly decided to remain in the NBA Draft, and Josiah-Jordan James announced he is returning to Tennessee for a fifth year.
James’ announcement came as a bit of a surprise given the fact Tennessee was at the scholarship limit, meaning the upcoming fifth-year senior will likely have to walk-on.
As for Plavsic, the Serbian big man indicated on a goodbye post to Tennessee that he will look to play professional basketball somewhere.
All dominos have fallen for Tennessee basketball this offseason, and the Vols have built a strong 14-man (including James) roster heading into the 2023-2024 season.
One Response
Glad to see James returning and would have liked to see knhouma return too,but I think he must not been happy with coach Barnes if truth was to be known,because of playing time, I don’t know this for sure.Plavoic was improving but he needed to control his temper.Wish him best.Phillips had not reached his potential and could use a couple more years and then maybe see new year because he wanted to stay for the school and chanted championship. I wish them all up but I don’t think he’s gonna draw the money he was wanting, but I don’t know his situation maybe any kind of money would help him his family wish him the best. But really glad to see James decide to return. With the two that we got returning and the new recruits.I have high expectations because I know the two that we have return Veskobi and James really want to be a volunteer,and heip the Vols and enjoy being a volunteer and another chance for a championship Go Big Orange I can’t wait for the season start. PS James, coming back as a Wall conve really shows that he cares about the school and enjoyed his time as a volunteer, and if he stays healthy, he can do nothing, but improve his value in the NBA.