Tennessee Basketball one of many programs to contact Minnesota transfer guard
Tennessee Basketball is one of many programs that has reached out to Minnesota transfer guard Elijah Hawkins since he entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, according to On3’s Jamie Shaw. Hawkins averaged 9.5 points, 7.5 assists and 3.6 rebounds in his lone season with the Golden Gophers.
Hawkins, a 5-foot-11 junior and a native of Washington, D.C., spent his first two seasons at Howard and over his three seasons has averaged 11.7 points, 6.4 assists and 3.6 rebounds in 92 games.
He was fourth in college basketball this season with 247 assists. He shot 39.3% from the floor (95 of 242) and 36.4% from the 3-point line (47 of 129). He shot a career-high 44.1% from the floor and 46.6% from the 3-point line at Hampton as a sophomore in 2022-23.
Vols have five roster spots to fill for 2024-25 season
According to Shaw, Hawkins as of Monday night had been contacted by Kentucky, Creighton, Texas Tech, South Carolina, USC, Georgia, Florida State, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Villanova, Wake Forest, Seton Hall, Oklahoma State, Vanderbilt and Washington State, along with the Vols.
Tennessee has plenty of work to do to fill out its 2024-25 roster. There are currently five open scholarship spots after the signing of Hofstra wing Darlinstone Dubar and four-star point guard Bishop Boswell, who signed with the Vols in November.
The Vols lost three fifth-year senior in Dalton Knecht, Josiah-Jordan James and Santiago Vescovi and four players from the the current roster left through the NCAA Transfer Portal: Redshirt freshman guard Freddie Dilione V, redshirt freshman wing DJ Jefferson, junior center Jonas Aidoo and sophomore forward Tobe Awaka.
Tennessee hosting its fourth official visitor out of NCAA Transfer Portal
Tennessee on Tuesday is hosting Ohio State center Felix Okpara on an official visit, after it was reported on Sunday that the 6-foot-11, 220-pound forward would be entering the NCAA Transfer Portal .
Okpara is the fourth official visitor the Vols have hosted out of the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason. He averaged 6.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks this season and averaged 5.3 points and 5.0 rebounds over the last two years.
He started 34 times in 35 games this season, averaging 23.5 minutes per game, after starting 11 times in 34 games as a freshman, averaging 15.5 minutes. Okpara shot 58.6% from the field in his 70 games with the Buckeyes.
The Vols have so far hosted three portal players on visits: Dubar, Belmont wing Cade Tyson and Charlotte forward Igor Milicic visited on Tuesday and Wednesday. Dubar committed to the Vols on last Monday and signed on Thursday.
