Tennessee’s roster may be filled with accomplished scorers and experienced transfers, but early signs point to a group more focused on team goals.
That was a recurring theme Tuesday as newcomers Dai Dai Ames and Jalen Haralson met with reporters for the first time since joining the program.
Ames, a 6-foot-2 senior guard from Chicago, arrives after averaging 16.9 points, 2.2 assists, and 2.0 rebounds last season at Cal. He averaged 46.4% from the field, 37.6% from 3-point range.
Haralson, a 6-foot-7 sophomore guard from Anderson, Indiana, averaged 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists as a freshman at Notre Dame. He was one of just eight freshmen nationally to own those averages.
Both were used to having the ball. Both were productive offensive players. Now, both are part of a Tennessee roster trying to figure out how to make all of those pieces fit.
Haralson believes the answer is simple.
“You gotta sacrifice to get to where you want to go,” Haralson said. “Everybody had a different role than they would have. We’re all still good basketball players, but everybody can score 20 points a game. It’s only one ball, we know that. Some games I might score 25, some games Juke (Harris) might score 30. Nobody cares as long as we win.”
The former Notre Dame standout said the roster’s versatility was one of the first things that stood out as Tennessee assembled its transfer class.
“Just the versatility,” Haralson said. “You got guys that can do a lot of different things on this team. Guys that want to win. I think that’s the main thing. Being around these guys, that’s my first impression. These guys just really want to win.”
That mindset has helped accelerate the chemistry-building process despite a roster largely constructed through the transfer portal and the high school class additions.
Haralson said the group still has room to grow but believes the foundation is already in place.
“We all came here for the same reason,” Haralson said. “We want to play professional, want to be coached hard, want to win. So everybody has the same goal to get better and win.”
Ames has noticed the same thing.
The Chicago native said a bond began forming almost immediately after the team arrived on campus.
“I seen that the first day,” Ames said.
That early connection has been important for a roster featuring numerous newcomers learning Rick Barnes’ demanding system together.
Ames said returning players DeWayne Brown II and Troy Henderson have helped smooth the transition by teaching transfers what to expect inside the program.
“They’ve been helping the whole team,” Ames said. “Just getting used to it.”
While Tennessee’s offensive potential has generated significant attention, Ames believes toughness will ultimately determine how far the team can go.
Growing up in Chicago, he learned quickly that toughness was nonnegotiable.
“We ain’t back down from nobody,” Ames said. “We got to be the toughest team.”
That edge, combined with the roster’s skill and versatility, has already created optimism within the program.
Though summer workouts are only beginning, Ames believes the group is capable of accomplishing something special.
“It’s real special,” Ames said. “I feel like we can do some real special things here.”
If the first few weeks are any indication, Tennessee’s newest additions believe the talent is already in place. The next step is turning that collection of pieces into a team.
