Former Tennessee center Jonas Aidoo will make his return to Knoxville this Saturday afternoon when the Arkansas Razorbacks travel to the Food City Center for both team’s SEC opening game.
Aidoo spent his first three seasons at Tennessee and earned Second Team All-SEC honors in his junior season but decided to hit the portal after the Vols’ Elite Eight exit. Aidoo signed with the Razorbacks’ program on April 29 after former Kentucky coach John Calipari was hired to lead the Razorbacks’ program just a few weeks before.
Aidoo and Calipari will both enter the Food City Center for the first time with their new program this Saturday for a Top 25 clash.
“We appreciate what Jonas did from while he was here, but you all know the landscape of where we are in intercollegiate athletics,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said on Friday morning. “And you’re going to see more of that, obviously, as time goes on, when guys leave and go other places for various reasons sometimes. But Jonas, really, we loved him when he was here, what he did and loved his growth. But he’s there, we’re here and it’s about competition now.”
While Tennessee did go through a good bit of roster transition following the 2024 season, a few of Aidoo’s old teammates still remain with the Vols’ program including Zakai Zeigler, Jordan Gainey, and Cade Phillips. Also in that bunch is senior guard Jahmai Mashack, who was in the same seven-man recruiting class as Aidoo in 2021.
Close friends during their time in Knoxville, Mashack and Aidoo had battles on the practice court but have never truly been up against each other in SEC competition – until this Saturday.
“I approach it the same way,” Mashack said about balancing the emotions of playing against an old friend. “You know, as much as I want to say that I’m going to give it out more, that’s just how I am. I give 110% every time I step on the court so this time it might even be 120 (percent) without me even realizing it. But that’s basketball, man. That’s what comes with it. When you’re out playing in the park and you want to play against your friend, it’s the same thing, you know? It’s no different. We’re playing the sport, playing the game that we love and we go out there to compete. That’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to compete fully and focus on winning the game.”
More from RTI: Jahmai Mashack Doing ‘Everything He Can’ To Stay On Court While Battling Finger Injury
Mashack said on Friday that the two will share some laughs and conversation after the game on Saturday. Before, though? It’s all business.
“No, not ahead of this game,” Mashack said when asked if he’s had any contact with his former teammate-turned-SEC foe before Saturday’s conference matchup. “I’m fully focused. He knows that. He knows how I am. He knows how much of a competitor I am, how much of a fighter I am. So I’m going to wait until afterward to talk to him, laugh with him, and joke with him. But as of right now, I’m here with my team and that’s all I’m focusing on. Winning this game. Afterward, we can have fun and all that stuff.”
In his third and most productive season at Tennessee last year, the 6-foot-11 forward averaged 11.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in 36 contests (all starts) for the Volunteers. Aidoo earned All-SEC honors after the season but decided to hit the portal after a bit of a disappointing run in the NCAA tournament.
After just a few weeks in the portal, Aidoo landed with Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks as the former Kentucky coach was looking to revamp and revitalize the roster before his first season in Fayetteville.
Aidoo battled injury in the early part of the season but has ramped up his production as of late. While averaging just 6.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game this season, the former Vol has scored more than 10 points in three of his last four games including a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double against North Carolina A&T before the Christmas break.
Aidoo has been less productive this season compared to last but appears to be finding a bit of rhythm with the Razorbacks heading into his conference opener against his former team on Saturday. Tennessee will use their bigs of Felix Okpara, Cade Phillips, and Darlinstone Dubar to combat Aidoo’s presence when he is on the court.
“I don’t think so,” Mashack said when asked if he sees anything too different out of Aidoo’s game at Arkansas so far. “I think he’s pretty much played the same, maybe getting up and down transition, coming off the pick and roll they’re looking to throw him lobs more. He’s still the same rebounder I’ve seen him be from when he was here. So nothing that I expect differently from him. I know Felix, I know Cade, I know whoever ends up on him is going to do the job and that’s what we expect. But we’re going to have a lot of fun with that matchup. Going up against someone like Jonas is going to be an amazing experience.”
While Aidoo is a familiar face for the Tennessee program, all signs point to a continued business mindset for the Vols leading into Saturday’s contest.
No. 1 Tennessee (13-0) will host Jonas Aidoo and No. 23 Arkansas (11-2) on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. ET in the Food City Center for both team’s first conference game of the season.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for live, on-site coverage of the SEC clash.
