Tennessee basketball is retooling its roster following its third consecutive exit in the Men’s NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.

The Vols are slated to return nine impact players. Starters Bishop Boswell and J.P. Estrella both have multiple years of eligibility remaining. Rotation players Jaylen Carey, Amari Evans, Ethan Burg and DeWayne Brown II could return as well.

Freshman forward Nate Ament has not yet decided on if he will enter the 2026 NBA Draft or return to Tennessee for another season.

The transfer portal opens on April 7, the day after the national championship, and closes on April 21.

Tennessee had a rough start to March, dropping four of six games and losing in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals to Vanderbilt. The Vols entered March Madness as a No. 6 seed, its lowest in the Rick Barnes era. They found their stride at the right time with wins over Miami (Ohio), Virginia and Iowa State before the 95-62 loss against Michigan in the Elite Eight.

Here’s what to know about the Vols and the transfer portal:

What does Tennessee need in the portal?

Tennessee could lose three starters for the 2026-27 season. Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Felix Okpara are both seniors, and Nate Ament could declare for the NBA Draft.

The Vols need to find another pair of high-end, high-volume scorers in the portal. Gillespie and Ament combined for over 34 points per game, and none of their current returning players fit that mold. Gillespie ran most of the offensive actions as the lead guard, while Ament often acted as the closer in tight games.

Tennessee will also need a defensive anchor to replace Okpara. Okpara was 80th in the country in blocks per game, but his 6-foot-11 frame and wingspan routinely scared off opposing players from challenging him at the rim. He was also one of the Vols’ best rebounders on both the offensive and defensive glass.

Will Nate Ament return for another season?

After the Michigan loss, Ament said he would talk to his “coaches” and “circle” about the next steps surrounding the NBA Draft or returning to school. The 6-10 freshman could be Tennessee’s first lottery pick since Marcus Haislip went at No. 13 overall in 2002.

Ament averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals in 35 games. He shot 39.9% from the field and 33.3% from 3.

Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com

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