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Former Tennessee guard Jordan Gainey signs to play professional basketball overseas

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey7 hours agoGrantRamey
Jordan Gainey, Tennessee Basketball | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
(Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) Teammates celebrate Tennessee's Jordan Gainey’s (11) basket during a men’s college basketball game between Tennessee and South Carolina at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center, Saturday, March 8, 2025.

Former Tennessee Basketball guard Jordan Gainey has signed to play professional basketball in Croatia. KK Cedevita Junior announced the signing of Gainey on social media on Thursday. 

KK Cedevita Junior is based in Zagreb, Croatia, and plays in the Croatian HT Premijer Liga. 

Gainey, the son of Tennessee associate head coach Justin Gainey, starred during his senior season with the Vols, averaging 11.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game, while shooting 40.5% from the field and 30.4% from the 3-point line in 27.8 minutes per game. 

He transferred from USC Upstate before the 2023-24 season, averaging 6.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 18.4 minutes per game during his first season at Tennessee. 

Jordan Gainey was Tennessee’s third-leading scorer last season

Gainey was the third-leading scorer for the Vols last season, behind Chaz Lanier (18.0 points per game) and Zakai Zeigler (13.6). 

Gainey played in the NBA Summer League with the Phoenix Suns after not getting drafted. 

Lanier was the 37th overall pick in the NBA Draft, selected in the second round by the Detroit Pistons. He signed a four-year, $8.79 million contract in July.

The Memphis Grizzlies drafted Jahmai Mashack in the second round at No. 59 overall.

Zeigler, who played with Lanier and the Pistons in Summer League, signed with Nanterre 92, a Paris-based club in France’s top basketball league, Pro A. 

Lanier in his one season at Tennessee averaged 18.0 points per game last season while shooting 43.1% from the field and 39.5% from the 3-point line. He made 123 3-pointers in 38 games, breaking the previous record of 118 held by Chris Lofton.

The Nashville native transferred to Tennessee from North Florida, picking the home-state Vols over Kentucky and BYU. He had a breakout senior year at North Florida in 2023-24, averaging 19.7 points per game and making 108 threes in 32 games, shooting a career-high 44.0% from the 3-point line. 

Zakai Zeigler last season: 13.6 points, 7.4 assists, 2.9 rebounds, 1.9 steals

Zeigler had a career year last season, averaging 13.6 points, 7.4 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 34.2 minutes per game while leading Tennessee to a second straight trip to the Elite Eight. 

He averaged 11.3 points, 5.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 29.3 minutes per game over 118 career games at Tennessee, shooting 39.0% from the field and 33.1% from the 3-point line.

Mashack, the 6-foot-4, 202-pound Fontana, Calif., native, was considered one of the best perimeter defenders in college basketball last season while averaging 6.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 38 games as a senior with the Vols. 

He was named to the SEC’s All-Defensive Team and was the Field of 68’s National Defensive Player of the Year, while also winning the Torchbearer Award, the top honor for a student at the University of Tennessee. 

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