Tennessee basketball set to lose Elite Eight starting lineup as transfer portal opens
Tennessee basketball is set to lose every starter from its Elite Eight team. Here's a look at the roster before the transfer portal opens on April 7.
It appears Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes will have a new starting lineup for the 2026-27 season than the one he stuck with in the SEC and NCAA tournaments. Redshirt sophomore forward J. P.
Estrella and sophomore guard Bishop Boswell both announced plans to enter the portal on April 6. Senior guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie and senior center Felix Okpara exhausted their collegiate eligibility. Boswell and Estrella will depart the Vols when the portal opens on April 7.
The lone possible returner is freshman Nate Ament. Tennessee would love to retain the All-SEC forward, but the 6-foot-10 Ament will likely declare for the 2026 NBA Draft as a potential lottery pick. The starting group of Gillespie, Boswell, Ament, Estrella and Okpara was Barnes' preferred lineup.
They started 10 games − more than any other combination − and posted an 8-2 record as Tennessee advance to its third consecutive Elite Eight. Forward Cade Phillips and depth freshman guard Clarence Massamba are also planning to enter the portal. The Vols have already started working on repairing the roster.
Continue to the original source for the full article.