Four-star guard Bishop Boswell became Tennessee basketball’s first commit in the 2024 recruiting class last Thursday when he committed to the Vols over Georgia, Missouri, Wake Forest and Xavier.
Tennessee didn’t offer Boswell until July but beat out a number of schools who had recruited the Charlotte native for longer.
“I think it was just right fit for me,” Boswell told RTI Monday. “It had that feeling. It just felt like the right fit for me and how I am as a person and a player. I think that is just kind of what pushed it over the edge.”
Boswell ranks as a four-star recruit and the No. 65 player in the country according to the 247sports composite rankings. When the blue-chip recruit explains his game it’s easy to see how Boswell and Tennessee basketball are strong a strong fit.
“The fact that I can do multiple things on the court. I’m not just a scorer. Not just a shooter,” Boswell said. “I’m a really good passer. I’m a really good defender. I do what the team needs to win. I can handle the ball. Guard 94-feet. Just a variety of things.”
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes puts an emphasis on his guard being complete players and any player In the Vols’ program won’t play if they aren’t good defensively. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound Boswell enjoys playing defense and prides himself as a strong defender.
“I love playing defense,” Boswell said. “It’s always fun to be a part of a team that’s lockdown. It’s fun when you can see your opponent struggling. It’s fun to get stops and stops turn into transition points and those are always the easiest way to get a bucket rather than play against a set defense.”
The recruiting sites list Boswell as a combo guard and while the Myers Park High School standout can play off the ball he is the starting point guard on his high school team and views himself as a true point guard.
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“I think I am a true point guard,” Boswell said. “My passing ability allows me to be a true point guard where a lot of guards nowadays just want to score 30 and get highlights. I think I am a true point guard but I do think I can play off the ball and alongside another guard.”
Off the court, Boswell meshed well with Tennessee’s current players when he took his official visit to Knoxville in mid September.
Barnes’ relationship with both his current and former players in addition to his hands on coaching style impressed Boswell and made it easy for the four-star to see himself in the Vols’ program.
While Boswell has a good relationship with Barnes, it was Tennessee associate head coach Justin Gainey and his consistency that was integral in the Vols making up ground in the four-star’s recruitment.
“He was really consistent the whole way once he did start recruiting me,” Boswell said of Gainey. “He’d FaceTime me and show me the guys and what they had going on. Just the interest he showed. He text me about anything that has to do with Tennessee basketball. We built a relationship and just the work he plans for me to put in with him to develop me and get me to where I want to get to.”
Like Boswell, Gainey is a North Carolina native. The Tennessee assistant has helped the Vols gain a strong recruiting footprint in the Tar Heel State.
Boswell is the Vols’ first commit in its 2024 signing class and will enroll at Tennessee this summer after his senior season at Myers Park.
