• Junior
• 6′7″,215
• Pulaski, TN (via Iowa)
• Major: Arts and Sciences

If it seems like Tyler Smith has been a hot topic of discussion among Tennessee Hoops fans for almost 5 years, that’s because he has. In 2003-2004, Tyler was a junior at Giles County High School and was being recruited by Tennessee’s Buzz Peterson, among many others. In 2008-2009, Tyler will be a junior at The University of Tennessee and will be evaluated by many NBA teams as the season progresses.

Sounds like your typical path for a stud in-state recruit, right? Well, no. That was the short version of the story. In between, there was a coaching change, an angry father, a refusal to release Tyler from his LOI, failure to qualify, a year at Hargrave Military Academy, another at The University of Iowa, and a reconciliation and transfer to Tennessee. If you had to write out your plan for playing for your state’s flagship university and preparing for the NBA, that’s not exactly how you’d script it.

But at this point, who would have it any other way? Tyler has been a model citizen, excellent teammate, floor leader, and star player in his short time at UT, despite the aforementioned delays. The fans love him and he seems truly happy. It would all be a bit storybook if one of the featured characters– Tyler’s father Billy Smith– had not passed away last summer. Billy was the angry father and the primary reason that reconciliation was needed– but also the primary reason for Tyler’s return to the Volunteer state.

The experience with Tyler and his father was a revealing one in terms of Bruce Pearl’s character. He drew a lot of criticism for the way Tyler’s recruitment was handled after the coaching change. Billy, in particular, did not trust him, and it was a surprise to most that a reconciliation was possible. What happened was more than a reconciliation, though; it was a promise that Bruce made to Billy, to be there for his son as a father figure in Billy’s absence. Somehow, through all that happened, this simple promise was enough for Billy, and the rest is history.

So here we are. Tyler is all Big Orange, and the Vol faithful have embraced him like none of this had happened, perhaps even more genuinely. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Tyler is a 6′7″, fast, strong, dunking madman with a propensity for clutch plays on both ends of the floor. That sort of thing tends to endear one to a fanbase.

Tyler joined Tennessee as a sophomore on a team loaded with sophomores. Including fellow transfer J.P. Prince, Smith was one of six sophomores on last year’s team. Tyler was hardly an ordinary sophomore, though; he was probably the team’s best overall rebounder, best passer, and one of its best defenders, showing maturity beyond his years. He hit a late, game-winning shot in three of UT’s games, a role that previously could only be filled by Chris Lofton. Smith’s inside presence led to a steadier, headier team on the offensive end and directly led to several key wins.

Stats-wise, Tyler is a fun study. He averaged 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 28.3 minutes per game. He also ranked in the top 500 nationally in 7 of Ken Pomeroy’s 9 individual performance stats: O-rating (154), eFG% (246), offensive rebounding (342), defensive rebounding (499), free throw rate (281), assist rate (314), and steal rate (401). He only failed to rank in TO rate and block rate, but wasn’t far from the top 500 in either of them. He shot 56% from the floor, including 38% from behind the arc, and a decent but improvable 71% from the stripe.

Tyler just had a tendency to come up big in big situations, one that I suspect will only increase with a year with the Vols under his belt and some great experience in tough situations. He will be one of the team’s leaders and a possible NBA lottery pick, and most certainly a fan favorite.

The only question about Tyler for 2008-2009 is what position he will play, an oft discussed topic across the Vol webdom. He has played almost exclusively the 4 position to this point and the Vols’ lack of experienced depth in the post points to that continuing. However, with the development of Brian Williams and the addition of Phillip Jurick and Renaldo Woolridge in the post, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Tyler play the 3, at times for extended periods. He projects as a 3 in the NBA and Coach Pearl wants to help him improve his draft status. Besides, can you imagine an SEC small forward trying to defend Smith in the post? Do you not salivate at the mere thought of it? This dream will only be realized if UT can get big minutes from Williams and some contribution from freshmen.

Whether at the 3 or 4, Tyler will be the focal point of the Vol offense in 2008-2009 and a huge key to the success of the team. His ability to take it up one more notch is crucial to the team maintaining the pattern of NCAA tourney appearances and top seeds, as well as its ability to repeat as SEC Champs. Most Vol fans would agree that Smith is most definitely up to the challenge.

I leave you with this, a terrific compilation of Tyler’s play in 2007-2008. A tip of the cap to Hoopsville’s BruceAlmighty19.

Previous player previews:

• Ryan Childress
• Wayne Chism
• Josh Tabb
• J.P. Prince
  

• Junior
• 6′7″,205
• Memphis, TN (via Arizona)
• Major: Arts and Sciences

J.P. Prince came to Tennessee with an outstanding high school history but an experience at Arizona to be forgotten. People around Knoxville didn’t know what to expect– here was a big time talent out of Memphis that elected to go out West, had measly stats as a freshman, and wanted to come back to Tennessee. Speculation about attitude issues and overrated talent was rampant and many, as with the Tyler Smith transfer, wanted Coach Pearl to say “no thanks.”

Many didn’t realize at the time what Prince had been through in Arizona. Namely, a wisdom tooth removal turned infection turned respiratory issue turned coma that left Prince in the hospital for weeks and on a respirator for 16 days. After the near-death episode, Prince was weakened and could hardly contribute in his sophomore year at Arizona. Midway through the season he decided that he needed a new place and a fresh start (and after seeing the Emmanuel Negedu experience with Lute Olsen, it wouldn’t surprise me if he wanted a new coach too).

Some questions about his ability were answered last year about this time, when Prince and Tyler Smith teamed up to rule the Rocky Top League as a hyper-athletic duo with a knack for finding each other and the rim. We learned he could run, pass, and really finish, and that he was even taller than we realized. Of course, the RTL only gives glimpses of what a player can do– the setting is not appropriate for scouting.

When Prince made his debut against Western Kentucky on December 15, he didn’t disappoint Tennessee fans: 8 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in 19 minutes. It was clear that he was a multidimensional threat that could help the Vols at several positions. He would go on to score double figures in 4 of the next 5 games, including a dominating 23-point performance that led the Vols to a huge road win at Xavier.

This raised the expectations of Tennessee fans, which of course is a double edged sword. Inevitably there would be a letdown and people would return to their complaints, as fans are wont to do. Prince was a solid contributor for the remainder of the season, averaging 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists per game, mainly playing the small forward position.

That is, until the NCAA tournament. Down the stretch of the season Jordan Howell couldn’t throw it in the ocean and Ramar Smith couldn’t do much either, and Bruce had to roll the dice. J.P. would be the Vols’ point guard. The decision was widely criticized but most understood that the situation was desperate. Without better PG play there was no way the Vols would advance through the tourney.

Unfortunately J.P. was not at his best in these circumstances, and you really couldn’t expect him to be. He played hard but made some key mistakes. In the 3 NCAA tourney games, Prince had 13 turnovers to just 8 assists. Unfortunately that left some Tennessee fans with a bad taste in their mouths, about Prince, the season, and Coach Pearl. All are ridiculous as all three are/were excellent. But it does likely mean that Prince has played his last minutes as UT’s starting PG. He may get some emergency time at the position and will surely lead UT in breaks when he’s on the floor, but his days as a 1 are numbered. He played much better at the 3 and his skills will most help UT there.

For the 2008-2009 Vols, most fans agree that Prince will play a vital role. He has a good chance of starting at small forward with the departure of JaJuan Smith, giving the Vols some much needed height at the position. He will battle Cameron Tatum for that spot, though Tatum has the edge right now due to J.P.’s off-season shoulder surgery. Even if he doesn’t start, you can count on Prince to at least equal his PT from last year of 19 minutes. He brings enough to the table to warrant more depending on the circumstances, especially if he can improve his jumpshot. He’s tall, has long arms, and can get to the rim and distribute or finish. Add a jumpshot to that and you have NBA potential. We’ll see if that develops. For now, I have Prince penciled in as the starter at the 3. With Cameron Tatum tearing up the RTL and Prince on the DL, it’ll be tough for me to keep it that way, but I’m sticking with experience right now. I’m counting on Prince to make great strides when he returns and to take his game and the Vols up another notch.

Previous player previews:

• Ryan Childress
• Wayne Chism
• Josh Tabb

Many thanks to Bullsgapvol on Hoopsville for pointing out the Rocky Top League coverage on the blog The View from the Hill. He has done a great job giving some reviews and recaps along with photos and videos of the players and action. Since I don’t live in Knoxville, finding this is like buried treasure for me. Give me more!

This is some great info and media and I encourage you to check it out.

Any time of year, we know we can count on Joe Lunardi for some amusement. His job is easy, in the sense that he guesses who will be in the NCAA tournament year round. It’s just not easy to be accurate, and I think Joe is especially bad at it.

A day after Tennessee got a commit from Emmanuel Negedu to play in Knoxville, Joe has put up a revised bracketology. Go check it out so you can share my amusement. How is it funny? Shall I enumerate the ways?

1. Tennessee is a 7 seed.
2. Memphis is a 1 seed.
3. Kentucky is a 9 seed.
4. Teams seeded above UT: Arizona, Davidson, Miami, Baylor, Oklahoma, Purdue, Arizona State, and Florida.
5. Teams on the same seed line as UT: UAB, Wake Forest, and a Jamont Gordon-less Mississippi State.

I could keep going and going. Let me justify my belly laughing with some brief explanation. Last year, Memphis was a 1 and Tennessee was a 2. Memphis loses Chris Douglas-Roberts, Derrick Rose, Joey Dorsey, and Andre Allen. That’s 43 points, 20 rebounds, and 9 assists. Tennessee lost Chris Lofton, JaJuan Smith, Jordan Howell, Duke Crews, and Ramar Smith. That’s 47 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. Those numbers are close, maybe a smidge in Memphis’s favor. Incoming classes are pretty even– both teams got a stud guard (Tyreke Evans and Scotty Hopson), and both got three 4 star forwards. In addition, UT signed JUCO AA PG Bobby Maze and Daniel West. This is a push. So, from this info, you tell me how Memphis is a 1 seed again while Tennessee drops to a 7.

Kentucky as a 9 is pretty close to Tennessee as a 7. Well . . . Kentucky was an 11 last year and lost literally half their points in the form of Senior guards Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford. Since Big Blue is also losing Derrick Jasper and Alex Legion to transfer, they lose more than half their points and assists. Their incoming class is ranked lower than UT’s by every meaningful service, yet Lunardi expects them to improve their seed by 2 while UT drops 5 spots? Laughable.

Arizona is a 2 in Lunardi’s bracket, which makes me literally laugh out loud. They get Chase Budinger back but they lose Jerryd Bayless and they just made the tourney last year by the skin of their teeth. You’re telling me big time recruit Brandon Jennings will replace Bayless and further improve the team 8 seed lines? Come on, Joe.

As for the rest of the teams I listed ranked ahead or even with us, some of them will be good teams, like Florida, Mississippi State, and Purdue. I still find it amusing that Joe has them ahead of UT, as I think the Vols are clearly better on paper. You never know what will happen when the season begins, but boy . . . Lunardi has been hitting the good stuff, and hitting it early in the morning to think this bracket is going to materialize.

For what it’s worth, I see UT as anywhere between a 2 and a 5, depending largely on the impact of the new guys.

• Junior
• 6′4″,196
• Carbondale, IL (Harmony Prep)
  
• Major: Arts and Sciences
  

The blue collar guys can be easy to overlook. Just think about all the Sears and Lombardi Trophies have been hoisted over the years, and then think about how many offensive linemen have been MVP in those games (I don’t know the answer, but zero is a pretty safe bet). Offensive linemen are essentially role players, put on the field to serve one purpose– to occupy and move defenders. There’s no glamour and little glory for role players. But more often than not, teams would not win championships without role players stepping up and doing their part, outside the spotlight.

To this point in his career, Josh Tabb has been a role player, coming off the bench to guard this guy or that guy, or to buy time because someone is in foul trouble, or to provide energy defensively. It’s a role and a means of contribution that he has accepted and embraced, and he as become a favorite among UT fans despite a lack of stats to back him up. You see, role players may not get the spotlight, but their contributions earn the respect of those who are observant enough to notice.

Tabb came to Tennessee as the least heralded of five freshmen in the 2006 recruiting class, but it was easy to see that Bruce Pearl was high on Tabb’s ability and work ethic. There were doubters in the fanbase, of course, since Tabb was not in the Rivals 150, but Pearl had already won enough confidence from the fans to give his recruit the benefit of the doubt. In the two years since, I think most would agree that Tabb’s contributions have been positive and, at times, critical to the success of the team.

In his freshman season, Josh Tabb played substantial minutes in relief of Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith, contributing strong defense (top 500 nationally in steal rate) and a lot of hustle plays. He was an inefficient player offensively though, ranking last on the team with a 95.4 O-rating and averaging just 3.5 PPG. Some fans viewed him as an offensive liability, with a propensity for turnovers and a subpar perimeter shot. Coach Pearl insisted on many occasions that Tabb was capable of much more on the offensive end, but that Tabb knew the ball needed to get to the scorers.

His sophomore year, Tabb saw his minutes slide considerably with a roster increasingly stacked with explosive players. J.P. Prince got some of the minutes Tabb had played his freshman season, and Josh ended up missing eight games entirely and seeing only mop-up duty in a couple. This is not to say he was playing poorly though; a year’s seasoning resulted in a major improvement in efficiency (105.6 O-rating), improved passing (he doubled his assist rate), a slight reduction in TO rate (though his 29.9% was still a team low), and a team-leading steal rate (4.0, which would have been top 100 nationally with more minutes played). Josh was still playing good basketball, but had to “take one for the team” so to speak to maintain the best rotation in Pearl’s system.

This season may be a different story for Tabb. With the loss of three guards (seniors Chris Lofton, JaJuan Smith, and Jordan Howell), a lot of minutes will be freed up. J.P. Prince returns and there are talented players stepping in, including wings Cameron Tatum and Scotty Hopson, but Tabb brings back experience and a defensive drive that is sure to bring him a bit more PT, especially early in the year as Tatum and Hopson get worked in. And who knows, perhaps we will see some more offense from Tabb at last . . . he scored 26 points to lead his team on the opening night of the Rocky Top League.

Previous player previews:

• Ryan Childress
• Wayne Chism

This is more than an hour premature, but word out from Volquest is that he will announce for Tennessee at 3pm.

Gary Parrish at CBS Sportsline seems to have made it official. In an exclusive interview, Negedu told him Tennessee is his pick.

http://www.sportsline.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6271764/8896730

Welcome to Big Orange Country, Emmanuel!

With the 2008 Rocky Top League tipping off tonight, I thought this might be a good time to take a deeper look at what the fans, players, and program get out of the summer league. Vol fans across the country seem to be very excited about it, if the internet chatter and turnout for the draft at Ray’s ESG are any indication. There are, however, some negatives worth mentioning.

Risk of injury

This is the first concern that made the rounds before the inaugural season of 2007 tipped off. With each current Vol participating in a full-speed, competitive environment, there has to be some concern that someone could take am elbow to the face, strain a shoulder, land on a foot and turn an ankle, or worse. Those are the risks associated with playing any basketball game, so with each player participating in these summer games it is reasonable to be concerned.

I would argue that is is best not to worry about this one. If the RTL weren’t happening, all of these guys would be playing in regular pickup games instead. Pickup games are full speed too, and are far less structured. Game-related injuries are just as likely, and there is an increased chance of a scuffle as well (Vol fans will remember defensive lineman Tony McDaniel nailing an opponent in a pickup game on campus). The Rocky Top League is not doing anything to increase the chance of summer injury, in my opinion.

Style of play

“Street ball.” More than once I saw the style of the Rocky Top League games described this way, along with some concern that playing games of that sort would get the players in a mode that would weaken their on-court discipline for the coming season. Coach Pearl is not allowed to have any real association with the league, so it is suggested that the players don’t get the direction to improve their game. Also of concern is that the newcomers get a bad introduction to what college ball is about. A friend of mine voiced this concern as “the possibility that the players will develop a me-first attitude, breeding selfishness.”

Once again though, one has to compare an RTL June for these guys to a June with no RTL. What would they be doing with that time? Pickup games and whatever individual meetings and instruction Coach Pearl is allowed to give them. Nothing more. No structured practices. So while I understand the concern that some fans have when they see the high octane, low defense style of play that we saw in last year’s RTL, there is little reason to be concerned about its impact on the Vols’ fall workouts and 2008-2009 season.

Heat stroke

Can we please find a gym with A/C? Seriously. I have heard that no public schools in Knox County have air conditioned gyms, but I’m almost positive that my alma mater (Powell High School in north Knox) does. Perhaps they want to keep the location around West Knoxville for proximity to campus and the main population centers.

Raising expectations

I can picture it now: in the freestyle, up-and-down, unstructured game of the RTL, Bobby Maze excels, scoring 25 points and dishing 8 assists per game. Vol fans everywhere rejoice, hailing the end of our concerns at point guard. Fast forward to the regular season; the Orange-clad faithful are now expecting to see something out of Maze that there’s no way he will live up to. With everyone trying to score and the game being played at a frenzied pace with little defense, fans can get a false image of what we are to see in the coming season.

I think this is a valid concern. Obviously I’m being hypothetical about Maze, but something like that is bound to happen. Expectations should be high for the Tennessee program at this point, but expectations of individual players (and especially newcomers) need to remain reasonably in check. That is too much pressure to put on a kid who has never played in the SEC.

With all of this said . . . can anyone truly argue that the negatives outweigh the positives when it comes to the RTL? I don’t think so. Injury risk and loose style of play are just as symptomatic of pickup games as they are of a summer league game, if not moreso. The only real negatives are an uncomfortable environment and lofty expectations– and those are more about us, the fans, than about the players.

And what do we get in return for these two negatives? Seven weeks of high level UT basketball in the middle of the summer. An up close and personal experience with the players, past and present, in the middle of the sports dead season. The opportunity to get excited about our newly successful program when the season is still 5 months away. I cannot imagine a more positive way to spend the summer as a UT fan.

• Junior
• 6′9″, 242
• Bolivar, TN (Central HS)
• Major: African-American Studies

When Wayne Chism leaves the Tennessee program, I predict he will be one of the fan favorites from the Bruce Pearl era. He has a funny headband, an infectious smile, a good game, and a unique ability to drive the crowd crazy:

“NOOOO WAYNE!!!”

“YES!!!!!!”

You know what I’m talking about. Wayne pulls up for a three and the crowd groans . . . then he’ll swish it or, just as often, bank it in, and the crowd goes wild. That’s the Wayne effect. He hits about 1/3 of his threes yet we remember every attempt vividly.

After Tyler Smith, Wayne is the returning Vol that fans are most convinced has the skills to be an NBA player. A 6′9″ forward with athleticism, an outside shot, the ability to handle and take care of the ball, and swat more than his share of shots is quite a desired commodity in any basketball league. If he becomes more of a focal point in the offense and scores more, there is a decent chance this will be his last year in orange.

Wayne started off the 2007-2008 season struggling mightily. If Chris Lofton weren’t so clearly struggling, people would have been voicing more concerns about Wayne’s game (and some were). From Thanksgiving through Christmas Wayne just couldn’t seem to put the ball in the basket. He would snap out of it and play a little better in January and February, but we didn’t see the full package consistently until March. If you’re going to turn it on in one month, that is the month to do it. In the SEC and NCAA tournaments, Wayne averaged 15 points and hit 6 of 13 three point shots while blocking 10 shots on the other end. Not bad.

For the season, Wayne improved most of his stats over his freshman year, improving his offensive rating from 103.4 to 108.2, his TO rate from 15.1 to 13.2 (good for 120th nationally), his block rate from 3.4% to 6.6%, and his steal rate from 1.7% to 2.2%. He averaged 9.9 points, 5.8 boards, and 1.4 blocks per game in 23 minutes, all improvements over his freshman year. The only area where he fell off was in rebounding rate, dropping from rates of 10.3 offensive and 20.2 defensive to 8.5 offensive and 18.8 defensive. I think this can be explained at least partly by the additions to the team; Wayne was nearly always playing with another good rebounder in the post– either Tyler Smith or Brian Williams– whereas he had Dane Bradshaw as a backcourt mate as a freshman, putting more of the burden on him to rebound.

Perhaps Wayne’s best attribute is his defense. He has fared very well against some good big men and statistically his numbers are impressive. Ken Pomeroy outlined stats for disruptive defenders, and set the threshold at an admittedly lofty 6.0 block and 2.5 steal rate. Only twice in four seasons have any college players reached that threshold, so getting close is an accomplishment in itself. At 6.6 and 2.2, Wayne is pretty close to that standard, and with another year of maturity those numbers could improve a little more.

The outlook for 2008-2009 is bright for Wayne Chism. The Vols lose a lot of scoring and leadership from the departures of Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith, and Wayne is in a good position to step up in both areas. He needs to work on his rebounding a little and really has to find some consistency. He has admitted that there have been games where he’s just not there mentally– that will need to change. Wayne has the ability not just to be a big contributor but to be a star, if he can get more aggressive and seek the rim. Now that Ryan Childress will miss a lot of workout time with a dislocated kneecap, it is looking like Wayne may have to carry some of the load at the 4-spot in addition to his regular duties at the 5. That will be good for him and the team, as the Vols were imposing on the block with Wayne playing the 4 and Wayne projects as a 4 for the NBA. Another year pairing with the multitalented Tyler Smith in the paint will be a great opportunity for Wayne and I think he is ready to take advantage and break out. If Wayne takes a big step toward reaching his potential this year, it will be great news for the Vols.

Previous player previews:

• Ryan Childress

I’m trying to keep up with this live, at least until all UT players are selected. Here goes:

1. Tyler Smith, HT Group

2. Wayne Chism, Toyota of Knoxville

3. Scotty Hopson, Ray’s ESG

4. Damon Johnson, The Knoxville News Sentinel

5. John Mueller, Richardson Construction

6. Cameron Tatum, First Tennessee Bank

7. James “Boo” Jackson, First Tennessee Bank

8. Terrence Ogelsby, Richardson Construction

9. Ron Slay, The Knoxville News Sentinel

10. Bobby Maze, Ray’s ESG

11. Dane Bradshaw, Toyota of Knoxville

12. Courtney Pigram, HT Group

13. Daniel West, HT Group

14. Rashard Lee, Toyota of Knoxville

15. Brian Williams, Ray’s ESG

16. Renaldo Woolridge, The Knoxville News-Sentinel

17. Stanley Asumnu, Richardson Construction

18. Jon Higgins, First Tennessee Bank

19. Jordan Howell, First Tennessee Bank

20. Josh Tabb, Richardson Construction

21. Phillip Jurick, The Knoxville News Sentinel

That concludes the draft for current Tennessee players, so I’ll stop with the updates here. Ryan Childress is apparently injured and will not play in the 2008 RTL. I will post final rosters for all the teams when the draft is finished.

UPDATE: Ryan Childress has dislocated his knee. He’s out for the RTL and questionable for fall practice. Uh oh.

For full team rosters and draft order, click here.

EDIT: Link removed because the file has all the players’ phone numbers in it . . . I wouldn’t want that getting in the wrong hands. The League site removed it too.