Tennessee basketball rumors: Volunteers emerge as Juke Harris leader, with NBA Draft catch

Tennessee basketball didn’t like the way their season ended in the NCAA Tournament, and they’re looking to do as much recruiting to avenge themselves next season. They’ve had their eyes on a few players, with one of them being Wake Forest guard Juke Harris.

Michigan, North Carolina and Tennessee are the three schools that have shown interest in Harris, but it looks like the Volunteers have a good chance of landing him. At the same time, he might also declare for the NBA Draft, according to Joe Tipton of On3.

“Rick Barnes and his staff have stayed in consistent, frequent communication, making it clear Harris is a top priority for the Vols. He strongly considered Tennessee out of high school and nearly landed in Knoxville before a last-second change of heart led him to Wake Forest,” Tipton wrote. “With Michigan’s momentum cooling and North Carolina filling up other spots, Tennessee has emerged as the leader, but the NBA Draft still looms large.

“Harris declared for the NBA Draft earlier this month and remains focused on going through that process. It’s worth noting Harris is currently projected as an early second-round pick, which could ultimately lead to a return to college. With a strong showing at the NBA Draft Combine in a couple of weeks and solid workouts, his stock could rise in the eyes of NBA executives, propelling him into the first round. It sounds obvious, but Harris will have a decision to make — return to college or remain in the Draft.”

If Harris gets some good evaluations at the combine, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he stayed in the draft. He still may have some things that he needs to work on, and if there is a chance that he could go higher in the draft next season, he’ll probably return to college. That’s when Tennessee could swoop in and pick him up.

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