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Rick Barnes updates timeline for addition of Tennessee's Clarence Massamba, Ethan Burg

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey07/31/25GrantRamey
Ethan Burg, Tennessee Basketball
Ethan Burg, Tennessee Basketball

Tennessee Basketball is still waiting on the arrival of French guard Clarence Massamba, who signed with the Vols in April, and Israeli guard Ethan Burg, who signed on July 24 as the final addition to the 2025-26 roster. 

Head coach Rick Barnes said during his media availability before Thursday’s practice, the final practice of the summer session, that both players remain overseas while playing with their national teams.

“We expect (Massamba) to be here (when) school (starts),” Barnes said, “and he might come over early. He could get here early. He’s still doing some things with his national team, and we’re expecting to be here when we get back.”

“Same thing,” Barnes said when asked about Burg. “He’s still with his national team going through tryouts And we expect him to — we’ll see how far he can go with that. 

“I think he’s got one more cut here in a week or so, and if he makes it past that, we’ll wait and see what happens.”

Tennessee’s Ethan Burg spent last two seasons playing professionally in Israel

Masamba, the 6-foot-5 prospect signed with the Vols out of AS Monaco Basket, the Monaco-based professional basketball club.

During the 2024-25 international season, Massamba averaged 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game, playing mostly for Espies Monaco, AS Monaco’s U21 team. He shot 44.6% from the field and 34.1% from the 3-point line. 

The 22-year-old Burg, listed as a combo guard, spent the last two seasons playing professionally in Israel. Burg was cleared by the NCAA before announcing his commitment and has three years of eligibility.

Over the last two seasons he averaged 11.0 points, 2.9 assists and 2.7 rebounds while shooting 43.2% from the field and 32.9% from the 3-point line while playing for Bnei Herzliya in Israel.

In 23.2 minutes per game last season, Burg averaged 11.1 points, 3.4 assists and 2.7 rebounds while shooting 44.7% from the floor and 37.6% from the 3-point line over 24 games. 

‘Going back to 15 scholarships, and why not utilize them’

Barnes said the late addition of Burg was about utilizing a roster spot that Tennessee had available. 

The Vols played with just nine scholarship players last season, after starting the season with two open roster spots, then losing sophomore forward JP Estrella to a season-ending foot injury in late November and Cam Carr to an in-season transfer on December 23.

“Where we are in the game today, we’re going back to 15 scholarships, and why not utilize them?” Barnes said. “And that’s what we’ve tried to do because we put so much emphasis on our practices being competitive. 

“And again, we would never bring someone in that we didn’t think in some way, somehow could help us, impact us. (Burg) was there, we knew about him and it just worked out for us.”

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