Rick Barnes, shown signing an autograph during the Big Orange Caravan's stop in Chattanooga this past May, has turned the program's on-court success into momentum for recruiting.KNOXVILLE - The nation's 14th-ranked prospect in the 2019 recruiting class committed to the University of Tennessee men's basketball program Wednesday.
Josiah James, a 6-foot-6 guard, chose the Volunteers over Clemson and Duke. He donned a Tennessee hat during a commitment ceremony at the Porter-Gaud School gym in Charleston, South Carolina.
Considered a five-star prospect by 247Sports.com, James is set to become just the fourth Tennessee player with a five-star billing in program history. The others were Tobias Harris, Scotty Hopson and Robert Hubbs.
James joins Knoxville power forward Drew Member and New York small forward Davonte Gaines in Tennessee's 2019 recruiting class.
The Vols earned a No. 3 seed in the 2018 NCAA tournament and will return all but one player from last season's rotation. They're ranked in the top 10 of many preseason polls, and fourth-year coach Rick Barnes and his staff have parlayed the program's on-court momentum into recruiting success.
D.J. Burns, a four-star power forward from Rock Hill, South Carolina committed and signed with Tennessee in June and will be on the roster for the 2018-19 schedule. Tennessee opens the regular season Nov. 9 against Louisiana-Lafayette.
Barnes received a raise and contract extension this month.
Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidWCobb and on Facebook at facebook.com/volsupdate.