A pair of Tennessee basketball targets are announcing their college commitments this weekend after taking official visits to Knoxville this week.
Four-star small forward Amari Evans is announcing his college commitment on Friday night and is down to a top group that includes the Vols, Pitt and Xavier. Four-star combo guard Isaiah Denis is announcing his college commitment on Saturday and is down to a top group that includes Kansas, North Carolina, Miami, Ohio State, Pitt, Tennessee and Wake Forest.
Evans ranks as a four-star recruit and the No. 74 player in the 2025 recruiting cycle according to the 247sports composite rankings. A Pittsburgh native that plays his prep basketball in Atlanta, Evans is the No. 14 small forward in his class.
The blue-chip recruit took an official visit to Pitt in the summer and Xavier and Tennessee earlier this fall. After officially visiting Tennessee for the Kent State football game, Evans returned to Knoxville for an unofficial visit the weekend of the Florida game. Tennessee is the favorite to land Evans ahead of his commitment on Friday.
Denis ranks as a four-star recruit and the No. 62 player in the country according to the 247sports composite rankings. A Davidson native, the 6-foot-5 prospect ranks as the No. 9 combo guard and the No. 2 player in the state of North Carolina in the 2025 recruiting cycle.
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The blue-chip recruit took official visits to all of his contenders besides Kansas this fall as well as a visit to Michigan. Following his visit to Tennessee the weekend of the Florida football game, the Vols seemingly had the momentum in Denis recruitment. But with his announcement looming, North Carolina, Ohio State and Wake Forest all seem to be trending ahead of the Vols.
Tennessee basketball is in a very important recruiting cycle where they have eight scholarships to work with. Rick Barnes team currently has two open scholarship spots this season and loses six seniors of its roster this season including Zakai Zeigler, Jordan Gainey, Jahmai Mashack, Chaz Lanier, Darlinstone Dubar and Igor Milicic Jr.
The Vols currently holds one commit in its 2025 recruiting class and it comes from four-star center DeWayne Brown. The Hoover, Alabama native committed to the Vols over Mississippi State back in April. Brown’s commitment gives Tennessee the No. 59 recruiting class in the 2025 recruiting cycle according to the 247sports team rankings.
Tennessee is still pursuing a number of targets including five-stars Chris Cenac, Nate Ament and Brayden Burries. Cenac and Ament have already officially visited this fall while Burries plans on officially visiting in December.
One Response
“Tennessee seemingly had the momentum…” Yep, that has seemingly been the case for a number of elite HS prospects in the last few years. Our staff does the groundwork early, the player’s stock begins to climb, eventually precipitating the reliable Blue Blood Swoop-In. At least this time it’s UNC, which is easier to take than Kentucky. Which of our betters will overtake us at the wire for the other five-stars who announce later? Can’t wait to find out!