Tennessee coach Kellie Harper and players Jordan Horston and Tamari Key met with the media in Birmingham Tuesday for SEC Media Days, the unofficial start to basketball season.
Harper discussed an abundance of topics including the challenges of recruiting in the transfer portal era.
“Every player’s recruitment looked a little different,” Harper said. “We had a couple that finished their seasons half way through last year so they entered the portal very early and we were able to recruit them earlier than most. That was Rickea Jackson and Jasmine Powell. And then Jasmine Franklin and Jillian Hollingshead were actually late entering into the portal and we were really excited to add all four of those young ladies. They add something special, each one of them.”
Harper also discussed the growth of her upperclassmen, how NIL affects college basketball and much more.
Key and Horston are returning starters from last season’s Sweet 16 team and two of the top players in the conference. Horston missed the final six weeks of the season due to injury and is looking for a strong senior season.
“I would say (there’s) a sense of excitement,” Horston said. “Having to sit for so long, and I love the game of basketball. I hate sitting out but I just take it one day at a time, do what I am supposed to do and everything is going to fall into place.”
Horston also discussed the advantages of NIL, transfer Rickea Jackson and much more. Key discussed the challenges of dealing with lofty preseason expectations, growing as a leader and much more.
